Night Light
by Bluedog270
Summary: Darkness always closes in on you but when there is a light at your side, it's easy to be brought back home. / kick, au. angst, family, drama.
1. Somewhere Only We Know

**~Author's Note~  
So . . . remember that 'new Kickin' It story idea' I was teasing in Jaded? Well here it is.**

**To be honest, I really want this story be some of my better work so I'm going for it. **

***This story is going to have long chapters but slower updates because of the length and detail I want this story to have. Also falls under the categories: ****angst ****and**** drama*******

**I'm taking a risk with this and the plot, so please let me know what you think. Oh and trust me, the intenseness starts around chapter six. But these chapters are loaded as well. So enjoy and review, those are pretty good motivations for updates. :)**

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_Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kickin' It or ANY of the songs mentioned or lyrics used in this story_

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**1**

_And if you have a minute why don't we go_

_Talk about it somewhere only we know?_

_This could be the end of everything_

_So why don't we go_

_Somewhere only we know?_

_Somewhere only we know?_

**~Somewhere Only We Know by Keane~**

Their houses were right next to each other.

They had passed each other in the halls, over and over again.

But he was up there, and she was close to a nobody.

From middle school to sophomore year, everything was normal. She had caught his eye once or twice, and he had sent her a wave one time at lunch but everything else was foreign. That all changed in junior year, when he stared to notice her more often.

He had just turned seventeen the day after she did, so maybe it was hormones. Maybe it was fate. Whatever it was, he couldn't stop it. He started to notice how focused she would get when she wrote in her old tattered notebook.

How her face would scrunch up in wonder when she tapped her pen against the wood of the desk.

How she rolled her eyes ninety-percent of the week.

How many people would walk by her table and snigger.

When his friends would bring up the name Kim Crawford, he would snap to attention and defend her and any asshole who messed with her would end up with a black eye the next day. Kim observed the pattern and every time she couldn't help the smile that would stay plastered on her face for the rest of the day.

He loved seeing her smile, the way it made her entire face glow and cause her dimples to show. He would get lost in her doe brown eyes and her long blonde hair looked like a glowing halo along with her slim figure.

She had accidently ran into him one time after the bell had run and she was running late, he was leaving Mrs. Blanche's English class to go to the bathroom and within a second him and Kim were smack on the ground. He helped her pick up her books with a kind smile and warm eyes.

As he handed Kim her history book, she had gotten lost in his deep brown orbs.

They were the color of milk chocolate, with specks of a lighter cognac color hidden within. His eyes matched his chestnut brown hair, but they gave a tiny contrast that the girl secretly loved. She took her book and they had both stood up, Kim surprised at how tall he was up close. He looked to be about five nine along with a seamless figure. He had on a navy blue V-neck where the arms cut off close to his biceps and showed some gallant muscles Kim couldn't help but glance at along with black jeans and lastly denim blue stripped Nikes.

Kim was wearing a simple cerulean tank top with a heart necklace resting on her neck, another bracelet hung from her wrist and his eyes flickered down to the beautiful azure of the jewel perched on the metal. To finish off her look, some jet black bleached skinny jeans with black converse.

Neither cared of the courageous watch from the other.

She saw the veins in his arm grow bold when he moved his arm out to hand Kim the sole pencil she carried and the timid girl took it with a hushed thank you.

He smiled at her and had asked her to more careful.

He spoke delicately, murmuring that the other juvenile teens would just kick it down the hallway. She nodded and he walked away, leaving the blonde smiling in his mist. Her heart sung happily but her mind reminded her of reality by the end of the next minute.

Jack Brewer would never go for a girl like her, even if she was the last living person on earth.

To say she was awed by his kind attitude would be an understatement; she was stunned he had even helped her. But he did and Kim knew from that moment on that he wasn't like all the other jerks that crowded the hallways, Jack was different.

A good different.

That day was two weeks ago and they didn't talk again, but Jack still looked out for her. For some unknown reason, he felt like he had to.

The day he found her crying softly in the janitor's closet on his parent's wedding anniversary was the day he thought everything was supposed to be content.

Kim changed that, but looking back on it; he didn't mind. He was talking to Parker about the next football game coming up that weekend. Their voices were hushed among the other students, "So if the Knights' quarter back uses a fake-out, then I can jump in from the right."

Parker Haines was a bulky kid, muscular figure. Parker's features were valiant all around; brown hair lighter than Jack's, but a more serious attitude with almost golden-like amber eyes. He and Jack were close friends, and they met through football in sixth grade.

Kim didn't know him.

"I thought we were supposed to be talking about what to do if I was about to get sacked on offense?" Parker laughed, and it seemed to echo down the hall.

"Well—"

A sharp clang from the bell cut Parker off, the eighteen year old sending Jack an apologetic smile. "I guess we will talk about that at the game. See you man," They shared a quick fist bump and Parker was off, barreling his way through the annoying people and head nods that awaited him on his journey to science class.

Jack laughed at his back and rolled his eyes as all of the kids in the hallway emptied out quickly around him, none of them wanting to be late and having to deal with the wrath of Ms. Tess—the vulture-like vice principal. Jack could only wonder to guess why she wasn't married as he passed by the janitor's closet and stopped. He could hear a slight shuffling sound, like someone moving slowly.

Jack silently moved closer to the closet and pressed his ear against the chipped wooden door and listened. All he heard for a few moments was the scrape of chairs and teachers talking from the classrooms down the hall but then he heard it again.

It wasn't scuffling, it was someone crying.

The boy's hero instinct kicked in that exact second and he opened the door, being careful not to hit the person awaiting a savior on the other side. Jack entered the closet, startled at how big it was and shut the door gently behind him. His left hand fumbled around on the wall for a light switch and then when he found it—he flicked it upwards and hoped he didn't start a fire.

When he saw the one and only Kim Crawford before him, tear trails down her cheeks and her eyes ruddy; his heart broke at the sight.

He put his backpack to the left on the floor and rapidly went to her aid, pulling her into his side and wrapping his arms around her with no questions asked. The girl tried to slow her crying but it ended up turning into sobs instead. Jack pulled her as close as he could and rubbed her back, her head ended up resting under his chin and she was glad for his comfort.

They sat there second after second, minute after minute in the other's arms and Kim's wails finally turned into quiet hiccups.

Jack didn't loosen his hold; he simply waited until she decided to speak. Her breathing was shaky after a minute and there was only fuzzy silence around them.

"My dad is a firefighter and when I woke up for school he wasn't home."

Jack's hand found hers in the tangled mess of limbs and held tightly.

"I-I asked my mom where he was and she said he got called in about an hour before I was up."

Jack smiled softly, "Well what's so bad about that? It was probably a false alarm—"

"He . . . he's gone. I had been worrying all day about him and what happened and then I went on the news app I have on my phone and his picture was there. The first article," her voice cracked, "two firefighters dead. Jon Henry and Vince Crawford."

Jack was stunned to silence, and the tight grip he had on her slacked. "I-I guess my mom doesn't know yet . . . no one has called me down to the office or anything like they are supposed to. So I'll be the bearer of shitty news when I get home for sure."

"I-I'm sorry Kim. I really don't know what else to say." She shifted slightly away from him, resuming her position against the wall. Jack felt the lost instantly, and his heart begged for the contact to appear again. The boy stared at the floor for a moment, his mind racing and his heart thumping in his chest like a jackhammer. "I think I know how to cheer you up."

Kim shook her head slightly, "I don't think anything can cheer me up right now Jack, I just lost my dad. My best friend in the entire world."

Jack felt butterflies in his stomach when she said his name. He loved the way it sounded when it came from her and he couldn't deny how much he wanted to press his lips to hers in that second.

Guilt followed him for a second after his thoughts, hoping for kiss when her father just died in a horrible way.

The boy pushed the feeling away.

"Come on," He stood up and grabbed his backpack, tossing it over his shoulder and holding out his hand to the blonde. "I want to take you someplace."

She looked at him for a moment and he could see the inner debate she was having within her beautiful eyes. He sent her a smile, just a simple smile and that simple smile caused her insides to feel like they had melted.

It was full of so much warmth and so much care—his smile reminded her of her father's.

Compassionate, with a hint of mischief hidden behind his irises.

Kim slowly stood up and took his hand, Jack lifting up his other hand and wiping the left over tears from her cheeks. "I know someplace." He said kindly, "someplace where everything can be forgotten for a while."

They drove in peaceful silence for the entire time, Jack glancing over at Kim every few moments to make sure she was still alright.

She was glued to the window, her head resting on her hands.

"Kim," She was startled by his deep voice, her head snapping to attention. He couldn't help but laugh at her reaction. "A little jumpy there Kim, you doing okay over there?" Her voice was lost among her wandering mind and all she could do was nod. She turned back to the window, and Jack sighed softly.

He hated seeing her so mute and miserable.

He wanted to see her wide smile, her pearly whites.

Instead all he saw was a shell of the Kim Crawford he thought he knew, caught in the abyss of mourning that washed over her.

Jack's hand moved over from the steering wheel and grabbed her left hand, noticing a thin sliver ring sitting on her ring finger. He held onto her hand tightly, trying to bring her some type of reassurance.

"You aren't married to someone are you?" He asked, Kim smiling at the chuckle in his tone.

"It's not the olden days now is it with arranged marriages? Am I wearing an afro too?" Jack took a sharp left and stopped in the dirt of an open field, both of the teens laughing wildly. Kim clutched at her stomach as Jack shook his head and unbuckled his seatbelt, pulling the key out of the ignition. Kim followed suit, still laughing.

"Nice comeback," He commented as they moved towards the green bushes sitting in front of a tall, rusty old fence. Kim crossed her arms to protect herself from the stray winds that blew across the field every few seconds, Jack moving forwards and pulling the bushes out of the way.

"It's a ring my grandma gave me when I was little. On the inside there is an engraving of a heart." Kim took a step forward and was shocked that the lime branches were detached, from a distance they looked like they were planted in the ground. "I thought those branches were actual bushes . . ."

Jack was too busy fumbling with the bottom of the fence to answer her, pulling and prodding at the rusted edges. Kim watched with curiously as he yanked at the metal, making a hole appear within the gate so that they could fit through.

She couldn't help but watch the veins in his arms grow at the movement, the material of his olive V-neck riding up as the blonde finally diverted her eyes away.

He squeezed through and scrambled to his feet once he was on the other side of the fence, turning to look at Kim. "Your turn," He said and Kim couldn't help but grow worried.

"Jack," She started casually, "is this even legal?"

"Of course, it's actually the only legal way to get in now come on." Kim rolled her eyes and crawled through to the other side, the sight of tarnished cars and weathered pieces of scraps meeting her eyes. Odors of crushed metals invaded Kim's nose and she looked over at Jack, waiting for an answer of where they were.

Jack slowly took her hand in his, glancing around with a lax smile on his features. "This is the Scrapyard. I come here when I'm pissed and need to cool off or when I'm down about something stupid." He paused, "I know it's not an ideal place to go but it's . . . I don't know—unique— I guess. It's special."

Kim shook her head with a silent smile, "You are one hell of a weirdo Jack Brewer, one hell of a weirdo."

He shrugged his shoulders, "At least I embrace it." He playfully hit his shoulder against hers and she simply hit him in the chest for a response.

They started to walk in peaceful silence until Jack spoke again, his voice close to a mumble. "Today is my parent's anniversary. I just wanted you to be as happy as them. It wouldn't be fair if they got to be happy but you had to mourn all day. If I could I would switch places with you, I don't like seeing you sad."

Kim shook her head, "Jack, no. I'll be fine. I always end up fine. But," She turned towards him and they stopped walking. "Thank you for this, I really needed it." His eyes glanced down at her lips, but then flashed back up to her face.

"Anything for you," The sentence left his mouth without permission and he edged closer to her, their faces inches away from each other.

"Anything?" She questioned, a smirk highlighted her face.

His hand moved up and rested on her cheek in a caress, "Anything,"

Neither knew who made the first move, but within the second their lips were locked in a loving kiss, Kim's hands going around his neck and pulling him closer. It was caring and gentle, both of their hearts fluttering at the action. Jack's cologne invaded her nostrils, a mix of mint and sometime of vanilla. No one was around, no one could interrupt.

Kim thought it was close to perfect.

They pulled away and Kim left her arms around his neck, his hands moving down to grip her waist.

"That was . . . "

"Amazing," Jack cut her off before she could finish and Kim couldn't help but agree with him one hundred percent.

"Yeah,"

Her voice was quiet but breathless and Jack grinned, "Wow blondie, didn't know I had this much effect on you." Kim rolled her eyes and hit him in the chest, Jack feigning hurt. "Ouch Kim, I thought you liked me enough not to beat me up but I guess I figured wrong."

Kim shook her head, "Just shut up and kiss me Jack."

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That following week was hard for the Crawford family and Kim especially but Jack stood by her every step of the way. For some reason, he was drawn to her because of reasons he couldn't explain and now he had her—he was beyond grateful that she returned the feelings.

Jack couldn't even think of losing his father to the grim reaper, though at the time of Vince's funeral, Jack was losing his father to another thing entirely.

It was January fourth and the funeral had been the day before, Kim was equal to a waterfall for most of the day whereas Jack was trying to just stay afloat and fight off his own demons. Jack's father had shown up at the funeral.

He was stumbling around and a half-empty bottle of Barefoot white wine was clutched in his yellow fingertips. Jacks eyes had grown to saucers at the sight of his drunken father assaulting his girlfriend's funeral.

He had always smoked, for year and years a fat cigar would be hanging in his mouth but Jack never thought it would escalate to drinking. He didn't know it was the start of the end, at the time the only thing going through his mind was to get him out.

He went up to him and nearly gagged at the stench of alcohol, shoving him towards the back door to get him out before Kim saw.

All the while his father slurred improper words to his son, containing vulgar language and mature themes about his co-workers. Jack got him outside and told him to go home and wash up but his father continued on with the story of the day about the 'hot accountant' downstairs that he 'had fun with'.

Jack gave him a good push towards the road, telling him to go home one last time and then turning and heading back inside. He brushed the feel of his father's slimy fingers off of his tux and plastered a fake smile on his face, the thoughts of his incoherent father secretly plaguing his mind for the rest of the evening.

The next day was hard for everyone; Jack still twisted in whether he should have told him mother about his dad's unruly behavior.

He decided not to, but even with the secret under wraps; the screaming matches started by that Friday.

Almost a year later, Kim and Jack's relationship was at its high, the two closer than ever. Jack had been cornered by Kim one day, the blonde asking about what was going on with his family.

Jack spilled every detail and admitted that it was getting harder as the days went on.

Kim then offered something that would save him beyond belief.

From then on, any night when his parents' fights were unbearable, he would sneak out the window and go through Kim's, sleeping in her room for the night. She would leave the window unlocked and when a warm body would join Kim in bed at night, she would smile and snuggle closer to him and falling back asleep.

Everything was going perfect.

Until on Jack's nineteenth birthday, everything was lost.

"You are a no good bastard! Go fuck another one of your coworkers for all I care! Ruin this family some more won't you Hank?"

"Shut the fuck up Virginia! It's your fault that this family is falling apart in the first place!" Jack couldn't take it anymore, it was getting worse by the night and he needed to escape. He got out of bed and went over to his window, opening it and carefully getting out.

He started to climb over the fence that separated the two houses until his father's voice behind him stopped him. "Where do you think you're going Jack?"

Jack made it to the top of the fence, tuning to look at his disgruntled dad. "To a friend's house," He answered calm, noticing his father move towards the window.

"At three in the morning? I don't think so," Hank lunged for Jack and he went to jump over but his father caught Jack's leg and tugged him downwards. Jack lost his footing and went tumbling down, his cheek hitting the side of the fence.

Jack hit the hard ground with a loud thump, his father muttering curses at him from the other side.

"Don't you ever come back here, you hear me? You were a mistake in the first place."

Jack stayed on his stomach, waiting for Hank's footsteps to fully disappear. He ignored the tear that leaked out of his eye and heard the window shut, his heart falling.

All he had were the clothes on his body, a thin white t-shirt along with some boxers and black sweats. Plus the prized necklace around his neck that he never took off, but that didn't count. His father gave Jack the necklace when he was five and the boy kept it after all these years.

Maybe it was time to get rid of it.

Jack slowly stood up, wiping the dirt and grass from his knees and stomach. Kim would kill him if any dirt ended up in her bed. The teen went over to her window and carefully opened it, making sure no creaks sneaked by. Kim's window was old and creaky; he didn't want to wake her.

Surprisingly enough since her dad's demise the blonde was easily scared so Jack tried his best to be there for her as much as he could; he hated seeing her so easily fragile.

Jack cautiously went through the window and shut it behind him, heading over to Kim's sleeping form in bed.

He gently pulled the rosy blankets over his body, trying his best not to startle Kim. He moved so that Kim's back was pressed against his front as his arms draped around her, the girl flinching in her sleep and waking up. "Shh, it's just me. It's alright." His voice was low; Kim felt his breath on the back of her ear.

"Jack?" He muttered sleepily, moving so that she was facing him. Once she saw his face in the outline of the moonlight she gasped, her hand moving up to his face and brushing the cut on his cheek.

"I'm fine Kim; I just might have gotten kicked out of my house about five minutes ago. Nothing too bad," He finished with a sarcastic chuckle, Kim now instantly awake when she saw the three cuts on his face.

"Oh Jack, what happened?" She muttered, his hand moving to hold hers.

"My dad caught me sneaking out after having a big fight with my mom. He grabbed my leg and tried to pull me back to the house but instead I fell in your yard. Then . . ." He paused, Kim's eyes gazed into his. "He told me to never come back." Kim pulled him into a hug, his head burying into her shoulder. He didn't cry but Kim held him anyway.

She knew he just needed someone to hold him and that's all that mattered. His arms wrapped around her torso and held on tightly. "He doesn't love me Kim; he said I was a mistake." He whispered, Kim shaking her head and pulling him closer. Jack had a close relationship to his father all his life; it killed Kim to see that relationship crumble before her eyes.

"Other people love you still Jack. Your mom, all the rest of your family . . . me." Jack moved back from the hug to look at his girlfriend, her face was fully serious.

"Kim?" He questioned quietly, the girl sighing as she fumbled with her hands.

"I-I think I love you Jack." His face was unreadable at first and Kim grew worried. She said the wrong thing, she was acting stupid. She turned onto her side and faced the wall, waiting for the moment where he said she was acting senseless. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything." Kim felt his arms wrap around her lower waist, his stomach pressing against her back.

"You aren't stupid Kimmy," Kim squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for it. "Would I be stupid if I said I loved you too?"


	2. Forever and Always

**~Author's Note~  
Thanks for the wonderful reviews, I'm so glad everyone likes it so far. I was so worried about posting this at first, but all of that is gone now. For those of you who are reading Jaded, I am going to try and update that today or tomorrow as well. Thank you all once again. Read, enjoy, and review :)**

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**2**

_She finishes the vows but the beeps are getting too slow_

_His voice is almost too low_

_As he says, I love you forever, forever and always_

_Please just remember even if I'm not there_

_I'll always love you, forever and always_

**~Forever and Always by Parachute~**

_Four Years Later . . ._

"You may now kiss the bride." The room erupted into a valley of claps, Jack pressing his lips to Kim's in a loving kiss. His lips were soft and caring as always, Kim didn't want to pull away. She wanted to stay locked in his hold forever.

But at the same time, their families were sitting just mere feet away and Kim doubted they wanted a 'sucking faces' show.

The blonde pulled away as Jack looked at his wife lovingly, his hand gripping hers and playing with the sliver band on her finger.

"I love you Kim," He muttered so that only she could hear, the girl feeling those same butterflies from years ago fill her stomach.

"I love you too Jack," She mumbled back, as he pressed a soft kiss to her hair. Her grandma's ring was placed on her pinkie.

Kim's dress was long, snow white with some sliver sparkles here and there. Her bright golden locks were straightened to fame her face, only a few traces of make-up coated her fair complex. Light cobalt earrings hung from her ears, Jack remembered the day he found out her favorite colors were blue and pink it was a funny day for sure.

His other hand rested on the small of her back as they started to head down the aisle and towards the big wooden doors to the after party.

Kim glanced over at Jack in his crisp black suit. His face was just shaved the night before, his coffee eyes lively and eager. The man's hair was messy as always, some strands in the black sticking up every time he tried to flatten them down with his calloused hand.

Kim's mom stood at the door of the limo, holding it open with a shaky hand and glassy eyes. Kim let go of Jack's hand, getting to her mother's side as quick as she could to make sure she was okay.

"Mom? Mommy?" She whispered, bringing her hands to Jean Crawford's face like a little kid, the woman shaking her head while grabbing Kim's hands.

"Oh baby, you're so grown up now." Kim smiled as Jack walked around close by to talk to some of his family, one ear listening for his wife in case she needed him.

"Mom," Kim chided her face heating up as she felt her own eyes grow watery at her mother's appearance. Her mother's hand rested on her shoulder for a moment before Kim was pulled into a heart-felt embrace.

The newlywed rested her head on her mother's shoulder and wrapped her arms around her waist. "You aren't losing me mom, I promise."

Jean tried to compose herself enough to answer, "I know honey, I know. I-It's just that it seems like just yesterday I was changing your diapers." Jack started to walk towards them, his smile brighter than the sun.

"Mommy, it's all gonna be okay. Jack and I will visit all the time."

"Baby I know, I just—"

"The after-party is happening now too. I promise mom." Jean pulled away so that she could look Kim in the eyes, but her arms still stayed locked around her little girl.

"Your father always talked about promises. He would say them all the time. I'm so glad you grew up to look like him Kim. I'm so proud of you." Kim felt a drop slip down her cheek, blinking her eyes to get rid of the rest of the salty drops.

Her mom was a short woman; Kim grew to be slightly taller than her. There were wrinkles around her mom's mouth from smiling too much in her lifetime and some worry lines on her forehead. Jean's eyes still gleamed brightly, like she was kid looking for trouble.

Kim got stuck with her dad's attitude, her mother tended to yell at her daughter's playfulness a little too much sometimes. She got the random bliss of getting her mother's brown eyes but she also got the blessing of getting a hair hue mix from the both of her parents.

Kim's dad had light brown hair close to a bleached blonde while her mother's hair was a darker shade of honey. Kim's hair came out perfect, the words directly from her family and Jack.

"Thanks mom, I love you."

Her mother gave Kim a loving kiss on her forehead, "Kim," Jean's voice lowered to whisper and Kim had to inch closer so she could hear. "If he ever does anything nasty to you, leave him—"

"It's Jack mom, he wouldn't ever hurt a fly. You know that."

"Kim—"

"Don't ruin my wedding day mom, please." She cut Jean off strictly and turned towards Jack, whose arm was held out towards Kim.

"Shall we?" He asked in a horrible British accent, Kim beaming at him. She took his arm as he guided her into the limo, Kim sparing one last glance at her mother before pulling the door shut.

Jack gave a nod to the limo driver before sitting down next to Kim, noticing the perplexed look on her face. He made her turn towards him but shifting his arm around her and the look was gone as soon as she looked at him, a smile replacing it. "You okay?"

He asked, allowing the worried tone to seep through his letters. Kim nodded and her eyes scrunched up, "Why wouldn't I be?" Jack shrugged his shoulders as the limo made a sudden right, Kim sliding into Jack before being able to catch herself.

"Just thought you looked a little worried, but if you say so." He responded, erasing the paranoid nerve-racking feeling from his memory. Kim sighed contently as she rested her hand over his chest to sit back up, looking at him strangely when she felt something cold under his suit. "Okay now I know you are going to freak at me but it's just—"

Kim ignored her new spouse, reaching in his suit and pulling out a golden badge with the words 'Seaford State Police' in black at the top. 'Protect and Serve' was engraved on the bottom curve of the insignia, Kim gaining a scowl on her face as she stared at the monstrosity.

She threw it at him, looking up at him with the glower still covering her features. Jack caught his badge, searching for some words to come out. The man stuffed the golden piece of hell into his left suit pocket; trying to think of something, anything to say. "Kim it's just in case something happens, it's just a precaution."

Her expression grew irritated as she continued to stare at him and he gulped under her dirty look.

"You promised me last night that you would leave that damn thing at home Jack." Her voice was deathly quiet, Jack mentally cursing at himself for being so over cautious.

He held his hands up in surrender as he slid closer to her, "I know, I know. I was just got worried that something would happen."

"It's like you are married to your work Jack."

"I'm sorry Kimmy. It's not my fault that they teach you to be alert at everything and now it's just a damn habit I can't break and I'm sorry."

Stillness trailed his words as the limo stopped and the door started to open. Jack grabbed her hand and she didn't pull away, to which made Jack breathe a sigh of relief.

Kim's temper was short, but nothing he minded. She was also a person who easily forgave society, so Jack was always welcomed back in about five seconds later.

They got out of the limo to be met with flashes from cameras and cheering from Jack's irresponsible side of the family. Kim grinned at everyone with Jack close by her.

Something in his gut didn't feel right.

His orbs glanced to the left just as the back of a figure started to walk towards the back of the church.

The man's eyes narrowed as he thought back to what Rossi, his chief at the station, told him about any susipous people.

Either go up and corner them, or watch from a safe distance.

Jack choose to go with the latter as he brought Kim closer to his body, her body slightly in front of his in case the worst case scenario decided to rear it's ugly head. Ross always said that if a bullet was to be shot at two people, one could shield the other and save their life quicker than the bullet could dig itself into flesh.

Once the couple got inside, the loud music demolished Jack's senses.

As they went to go and take the first dance, Jack scolded himself for being so over protective.

This was too much on his wedding day.

Everyone grew silent as the song Jack and Kim picked came on and they started swaying to the special song. Halfway through Kim's head came to rest on Jack and he pulled her closer, kissing her softly. "I love you Kim, always remember that."

"How could I forget?" She asked, her voice close to a little girl's.

Jack smirked as the song ended and they walked off the stage hand in hand.

It was about halfway through the night, Jack having a few beers here and there while Kim stuffed herself full with the amazing chocolate wedding cake they choose. Jack and Kim were talking to Jack's uncle when a crash came from their left.

They looked over and Jack jumped out of his seat once he saw who it was stumbling towards the main table. Kim tried to stop him, but he was too quick for her to catch his wrist.

"Jack! Son?" Hank slurred the letters together while inside Jack was feeling mortified that his father dared to show up at his dream wedding. Everyone could see the cringe that went through Jack's body when the slimy word of 'son' left his father's lips.

Jack stood in front of his father; his height matched his father's equally. If you placed the two next to each other in a picture, you would instantly be able to see the matching mouth and nose. Their figure was almost the exact same, besides the muscle his father lacked from the last few years of not going to the gym anymore.

The only main difference was the buzzed hair cut Hank had. He had on a messy grey suit with the tie hanging around his neck undone, his pudgy fingers reaching out for Jack once he saw his son. Just as his hand gripped Jack's shoulder, the brown-haired man shoved it off.

"Get out of here," He hissed, hiding the pain he felt behind the mask of his glare.

"No," He garbled, "I-I want to be here for m-my son Jack." Jack's ire was mounting as the moments passed and Kim started to stand up.

"Shut up you drunk bastard and get out." He seethed, taking a step towards Hank. His cloudy eyes locked onto Jack as he slowly processed the words that had just left his son's mouth.

"What did you just say to me you ungrateful little asshole?" Just like that Hank's mood went from carefree to demanding and Jack had a flashback to when he was little.

His father had just finished building a model airplane and Jack sneaked downstairs to play with it. When it fell to the floor in pieces, the pure wrath that had entered his father's face was disturbing as he screamed at Jack, giving him nightmares for a full week. Looking back on it, Jack realized that his father always had anger issues.

That was something he couldn't fix, ever.

"I said get the fuc—"

His father's fist moved to land a painful punch to Jack's face but he dodged and got behind Hank, pushing the man to the ground.

He wrestled his arms behind his back and the badge that he had stuffed in his suit burned a hole in his pocket. "Someone call nine-one-one," Jack called out firmly, looking over to Kim who had stopped walking towards him, "tell them that a fellow officer needs help. ID number five-five-twelve."

One of Kim's older cousins pulled out her phone and started dialing, as Jack stared into Kim's eyes with Hank shouting below him. He hoped that she could see how sorry he was, how irate he was at his father and overall just the plain shame that filled him.

"A police car is on its way," The girl shouted out, Jack thanking her quietly; not caring if she heard him or not.

Right now his main focus was on Kim.

She looked at him for a second more before turning and looking the other way.

* * *

Even though it didn't seem like it, Kim's favorite day of her life was the wedding while Jack's favorite day was the day a year ago when Kim told him she was pregnant.

That was the happiest day of Jack's life and he couldn't be more pleased about it.

Now here they were two twenty three year olds with lives that seemed like they were going to end up perfect.

But perfect never lasts.

When Kim was thirteen, she overheard her parents talking about wanting another baby but how there was a problem. Cries succeeded her mother's words and Kim had walked away; hating the sound of her parents crying.

Who could have guessed that Kim would have the same problem?

Kim had just gotten off the phone with the doctor's office and the news wasn't pretty, it was devastating. Tears were flowing out of Kim's eyes nonstop and her hands pulled at her head.

"Why," She whispered, "why me and my little baby boy?"

A strangled sob escaped her as she tried to pull herself together before Jack came through the door. He would be there any second, walking in and seeing his distraught wife would be a hell of a thing to come home to.

Kim's hands ghosted over her budging tummy, her heart racing. She couldn't lose her little boy, it was too soon.

She wouldn't get to see if he had Jack's hair or her hair.

Whose attitude he got stuck with.

What bright color his eyes would be.

Jack and Kim would spend hours looking through baby names, trying to find the perfect one.

It would all be for nothing now.

The sound of Jack's car pulling into the driveway startled her, her mind trying to figure out what she could do. She heard the car door slam, along with the jingle of keys by the door. Kim darted to the bathroom, closing the door behind her just as the front door opened and closed.

"Kim?" His deep voice caused her to start shaking as she placed her hands on the sink, holding tightly.

The news would kill him.

He had told her over and over again how much he wanted a family.

"Kim?"

His voice grew urgent and she heard his footsteps right outside the door. He knocked, Kim wiping the tears from her face the best she could. He would still be able to see the bloodshot look that betrayed her orbs. "God Kim, you scared me. Can I come in?" His voice turned less troubled and more laidback.

Kim opened her mouth to speak but no words came out as she glanced up at the mirror in front of her. A broken reflection of herself glowered back at her.

Jack knocked again, "Come on Kim,"

Just as Kim was about to answer, something overtook her.

Ferocity, agony, sadness all morphed into one as she picked up the can of Jack's shaving cream that sat in front of her. Her hand gripped the cold metal tightly as she took a step back. Then with all of the force she had, she threw it. The mirror smashed into pieces, one slice nicking her in the forearm.

Jack's instincts went into frenzy mode once he heard the crash, opening the door. His heart fell at the blood he saw leaking from her left forearm, going up to her and pulling her gently away from the broken shards of glass.

The expression on her face was emotionless in addition to heartbroken as the tears started up again.

She fell into his arms, Jack catching her and holding her like there was no tomorrow. His wife was falling to pieces directly in front of him. "Oh Kimmy," He mumbled, the girl burying herself into the fabric of his police uniform.

"J-Jack," She clutched onto him like a lifeline.

"What happened?" He questioned; his heart racing in apprehension, what could be so huge to cause his wife to spiral downwards so suddenly?

Jack felt her water tears through the thin material of his uniform, silently begging her for an answer. She pulled back slightly and his arms stayed wrapped around her waist in vice-like hold. "T-The baby,"

She watched his reaction as the words left her mouth, Jack feeling everything around him fade into oblivion as he heard the news.

The woman felt more tears leak out when his mouth turned into a firm line, the hold he had around her slacking. He had some stubble yet to be shaved on his chest, his eyes worn and stressed out from the endless days at work. The newfound news about the baby brought a new layer of pain to be added to his face, Kim hated it.

"You can't have the baby." How stern his voice came out shocked Kim, Jack shocked that the words had even left it mouth. But the man stood his ground, his hands lowering to his sides as he dared a quick look at his wife.

Her hair was thrown into a messy ponytail, strands sticking out at odd angles as her face was coated with wet trails from her endless sobs that had followed the phone call.

"What—"

"I can't let you have this baby if there is a chance it could kill you. I-I can't take that risk."

"Jack," Her voice cracked with a choked wail, "we, this is our own f-flesh and blood. We can't just kill him!" Kim's voice grew hysterical and her attempts of keeping her composure were failing.

Fast.

He ran his hands over her arms, feeling a burden weigh down his heart.

"Hey," Voice soft, like he was talking to a little kid; "look at me."

Kim didn't like that.

She wasn't a little kid.

She wasn't going to let him win, he was telling her to _kill _their little boy.

They already had his name picked out, since he was due soon.

Kim Brewer wasn't going to lose her little boy, not now, not anytime soon. Jack kept an eye on the line of blood that stayed placed on her forearm, being able to tell it was just a nick and not deep at all—lucky for Kim.

"I'm not losing my little boy Jack; I'm not letting you win this. How could you rather kill _our_ child then fight the odds?"

"Because Kim, the doctor said you could die." He exasperated, as if she wasn't getting the point. Jack truly thought she didn't understand fully, he couldn't lose her. She was his whole world; you can't lose the world you love. She fought back with just as much challenging him, edging him on.

"_Could _Jack! He said I _could _die! Not that I was going to!"

"But you could, and I couldn't live with myself if I let you have this baby and then you—"

He turned away, blocking on the words. He couldn't even say it, he couldn't think it. Kim dabbed at her eyes, the bright russet color fading with the moments.

She took a step towards Jack and grabbed the hand with his wedding ring on it. He turned with her, facing her. She placed his hand on her budging stomach just as their little boy kicked with some strength.

"This is our little boy. He already has your strength, your cocky ass attitude. I can tell he has all of it." Jack moved his hand away from Kim's stomach, staying intent on his decision.

"Kim."

"And he loves you. He loves you with all of your damn flaws because he is your son." Jack lost it when the hushed word of 'son' left Kim's mouth. Ever since his father, he hated that word. Even if it was used for his own kid.

"I can't lose you!" His sudden shout caused Kim to jump in surprise, her hand unknowingly moving to rest over her stomach like a form of protection. "Don't you get that Kim? If I lose you, I lose everything!"

"You aren't going to lose me Jack, not in a million years."

"Kim—"

"You lost your father. I'm not going anywhere."

All was silent after that. Jack's mind nagged at him, telling him shocking and possible horrid things. Kim simply took his hand and pulled him over to the couch that sat a few feet away from them, both of them sitting down.

Kim snuggled her head on his chest and his arm went around her shoulder as his hands came to rest on her stomach. "I love you Jack. I can promise you that neither of us will ever leave you." He felt another kick and another, the longer his hand rested there.

That was his son in there, waiting to come out and meet his mommy and daddy.

Jack couldn't strip his child of that.

He couldn't kill off one of his kin.

He wasn't a monster.

Kim said that the doctor boldly stated it was a low possibility that he would lose his girl.

Another kick, calmer—like as if his kid read his mind and knew that his daddy made the right choice.

"I'm sorry Kim. I love you both so much. I-I—"

"I know Jack, trust me I know. Every morning when you leave for work I feel the same way. You could die any day but I don't hold you back."

Jack struggled for words, "But this is different."

He tried to argue, "No it isn't. I let you leave and every day I worry that it's going to be the last time I see you."

"Kimmy,"

"It's the truth Jack." Jack's phone started to ring from his pocket and Kim moved so that he could get to it.

"Hello?"

Kim listened in, "Is this Jack Brewer?" The voice on the other end was deep and raspy like the man had smoked one too many cigarettes in his life.

"Yes, may I ask who is speaking?"

"I'm going to give you twenty minutes."

"What—"

"You arrested my partner two weeks ago. Gerald Sandi. I'm giving you twenty minutes to release him from the station and if he doesn't walk out then you can kiss your wife goodbye. She'll be dead."

There was a click on the other end and Jack quickly dialed the station, Kim clutching his arm. "Get me on the phone with Rossi right now and send a force to my house. Someone just made a threat to kill my wife."

Jack's hand grabbed Kim as they waited for Rossi's grumpy voice to come from the other side of the line. "I love you," Jack whispered, pressing a sweet kiss to Kim's cheek." Kim's head feel to his shoulder as she tried to keep calm for her and her baby.

"What do you want Brewer?"

Kim never thought that Rossi's voice would bring her so much reassurance, "Someone just made a threat to kill Kim if we don't release some murderer's buddy. Track the call now, I'll tell you the number."

Rossi got right to work; the couple could hear the furious tapping on the keyboard through the phone. Rossi was a grey haired man in his fifties, his attitude was sharper than the blade of a knife; Jack learned the hard way that he didn't like jokes too much. His face was always grim-looking with his slim lips always downturned in a frown. Jack learned from the chipper desk lady down the hall that he lost his little girl two weeks after she was born from pneumonia.

Jack and George Rossi had a mutual friendship, the older man always keeping an eye out for Jack and his family. When Rossi had overheard about Kim being pregnant, that mutual friendship turned into a soft spot for Jack.

"Got it, nine sixteen Hart Blvd. I'm sending SWAT and two K-9 units." They knew the SWAT wasn't needed, but when the Brewers were threatened—Rossi was going to make sure the culprit was caught. "Stay on the line Jack," Kim's hold grew tighter on his arm and he wanted to make everything go away so that Kim was perfectly safe.

"I'm sorry Kimmy," Jack muttered, moving the phone away from his mouth so that Rossi wouldn't overhear.

"This—"

"About earlier, I-I you know I wouldn't be able to go through with it either way." Kim keep the happy tears locked inside, she had cried enough for that day.

"I love you Jack, so much."

"Brewer?"

Rossi's tone told Jack he was pissed off, "It was a fucking prank, SWAT found two teens and a voice mixer."

"Rossi, we can nail them for something right?" The stress those two assholes just put Kim through could have harmed the baby and Jack wanted them to pay.

Even if the abrupt scare made him realize what was right in front of him all along.

Five minutes ago he wanted to kill his baby boy to save the love of his life.

Now, he just wanted them both to be safe and sound.

Nothing was going to prevent him from doing that.


	3. Tonight, I Love You

**~Author's Note~**

**I am super sorry, I did not mean for the wait to be **_**this **_**slow. The updates might be every week or so now because I just started school and it is annoying hell as always so just stick with me :) **

**I also swear the time skips stop the chapter after the next one. **

**Thank you for all of the wonderful reviews and this chapter is one that is going to throw your emotions on a roller coaster ride. Read, enjoy and review :D**

* * *

**3**

_Let's just take tonight, tonight slow_

_Cause I want to see where this, where this goes_

_I need you_

**~Tonight, I Love You by The Latency~**

A Few Weeks Later,

August Twenty-First

Loud cries filled the delivery room at Seaford Hospital; Kim finally releasing Jack's hand and wiping her eyes, trying to stop the never-ending tears. "It's a boy," was repeated through the room, Jack's heart still leaping when he saw the slightly bloody face of his little boy.

The nurses cleaned him off, Jack feeling some of his own tears prick at his irises as he watched them handle the newborn carefully.

The nurse who held Kim's other hand the entire time wrapped the baby in a blue blanket, bringing him over and cautiously placing him in Kim's sweaty arms.

She stared down into his dark auburn eyes, surprised at the dashes of orange that peaked through. There was only a thin layer of hair upon his head, the color of a faded blonde—close to a snow-like white.

Jack went over and kissed Kim on the forehead, then moving down and pressing a welcoming kiss to his son's. "Do you have a name?" The same nurse questioned, Jack glancing down at her nametag and feeling guilty.

The entire time this small lady was in here taking care of his family and hadn't bothered to learn her name. Nurse Teddy was printed in silly-looking letters on the blue nametag. Jack knew the name of his son; Kim and Jack didn't want it to be a careless naming as soon as he was born.

They mulled long hours over it and came up with the perfect name. Jack couldn't get the known words out, still shell-shocked that he had just became a father a few minutes ago.

The exhausted blonde answered for her husband, "Scott Ryder. Scott Ryder Brewer."

Nurse Teddy smiled, her sliver curls bouncing as she went over and filled out Scott's birth certificate. Kim glanced over at Jack, her smile fading slightly when she saw the cool tears cascading down his cheeks, his wedding ring bright in the sweaty room.

His eyes were locked on Scott, a sad smile coating his lips.

"Jack?" She questioned her voice quieter than she wanted it to be. He looked up from Scott, almost leaping out of his seat to tug Kim into a constricted hug. She gasped at the sudden contact, Jack being careful not to smash Scott between them.

"I'm just glad the two most important things in my world are happy and healthy. I love you."

Over the course of the day, Jack and Kim were beyond tired between the family members that visited them along with the strains of learning how to take care of a baby. Kim had noticed how distant Jack was being the entire day, he hadn't held little Scott once.

She was worried about his odd behavior but brushed it away so that she could get some sleep.

The digital clock on Jack's phone read one am in thin white letters, the man sighing heavily. He glanced over to his little boy cocooned in Kim's arms, taking note of the tight hold his wife had on Scott.

Kim had wanted a little girl of course, she had the name Maddison May all picked out and ready.

Jack was gunning for a little girl too actually; he thought having a little guy to follow him around would be too big of an affliction. Jack was dealing with the burden of not following in Hank's footsteps so he had figured that getting a little girl would be easier. But now here he was, with his son snoozing soundly in Kim's arms next to him.

He bit his lip and looked over, the thought valiant in his mind about how he didn't hold Scott yet.

Of course he loved his son; Jack was just petrified that he would crush him or drop him.

Or turn into Hank.

"Come on," He muttered, shoving his cell phone back into his jeans pocket. His right hand started to fumble with the hem of his grey t-shirt. "You can do this Jack,"

He kept repeating that phrase in his head as he reached over and gently plucked Scott from Kim's hold. Jack lowered the boy into his lap, being careful to keep his head supported.

A few seconds later, Scott's eyes opened.

Jack couldn't get over the beautiful color of his eyes. Orange, brown and red combined to make a dimmer sunset color.

They were diverse but . . . different was good.

A strangled cry started to leave the baby, Jack's eyes growing wide. "Hey, hey it's okay." He started to rock Scott gradually back and forth—hoping he didn't wake Kim. She was past beat and he didn't want to be the cause of less sleep for her.

She needed all the sleep she could get.

Scott quieted down, Jack letting out a breath he didn't even know he was holding. Scott watched Jack carefully, observing the way a soft smile ghosted over his mouth.

His lips moved to form words that Scott didn't understand, besides the one short name at the end.

These people in the room were his mommy and daddy; Scott couldn't be happier that he was stuck with these two.

As Scott was lost in his unusual baby thoughts, he didn't notice how Jack's hand started to lose the grip it held.

All the boy could see was the flash of the ceiling as he started to fall towards the abyss of title flooring below.

* * *

Something went wrong.

Jack sat in the Scrapyard by himself almost a year later.

That night in the hospital haunted him like no other and he barely held Scott enough as it was.

Jack had held Scott maybe three times in the baby's lifetime. He had dropped Scott but caught him before his head hit the floor, his foot hitting the side of the nightstand next to the hospital bed. The baby had started crying loudly, waking Kim and throwing Jack into a sort of shock.

To sum it up, neither parent wanted to ever speak of that moment again or have it happen again.

Kim and he were twenty five.

This was supposed to be the ultimate of their life, where everything was okay. It wasn't though, it was far from okay. Jack would work long hours at the station, getting home later than ten almost every night.

He wasn't happy.

He wasn't happy with Kim or with Scott.

Maybe it was April from work who threw these thoughts in his mind, chatting over decaf coffee for hours. Jack always got a laugh with how her hair was a unlike shade of colors every day. Jack hated to admit it, but he was having more fun at work chasing down criminals than at home.

At home he didn't get to relax; he had to deal with Scott who cried non-stop. Kim always said that the baby cried for him but Jack usually just ignored her and went into the other room.

They hadn't shared a chaste kiss in ages, let alone a short hug.

He wasn't ready to be a father, it was all too soon.

Jack was just like Hank, maybe even worse.

Everything he tried to prevent happened anyway. Maybe it was time to give up, that was always present sometime during each day, no matter how much he tried to prevent it.

So now he sat here in his obscure police uniform; the sun beating down on his back. His fingers ripped the grass from the ground one by one, his orbs held no care as he did it over and over again.

What he didn't expect to suddenly hear were footsteps behind him, mentally groaning with the thought that Kim and Scott found him.

They were the only ones who knew about the Scrapyard, no one else was supposed to know about it anyway.

"I didn't expect to find anyone out here," His head whipped around when it wasn't Kim's pissed off voice that entered his ears, but instead the playful one of April Clark. She took a seat next to Jack on the ground, stretching out her legs. Jack could only stare for a minute, she was absent at work with no reason why.

Rossi actually told Jack that if he heard from her to tell her one more 'non-excused' absence and she was fired. April was two years younger than Jack and worked as a dispatcher at the station, Jack and she became friends when Scott was about six months old.

The woman's hair was a powerful hue of dark blue today, some black mascara dabbed over her eyelashes along with a light shade of blush applied to her cheeks. She was almost a foot shorter than Jack with a stick-like frame, but her attitude was carefree. Jack had asked her a few weeks back why she dyed her hair different every day, April responding with how she liked to be a new person every new day. The man swore by now she had gone through every neon color of the rainbow, now moving onto every darker shade possible.

She was someone good to know when Jack needed a break from the stress at home, one funny convo with April and everything was better.

He hoped they stayed friends for a while.

"How did you find me here?" Jack questioned, keeping the surprise in his voice as low as possible. She shrugged, pulling a faded strain of dead grass from the ground to copy Jack's actions.

She tossed it to the left, "I might have followed you to make sure you were alright, since I can't have your phone number because of good ol' Kimmy—there was no other way to make sure you were okay." Jack smiled with a light chuckle, reaching into his pocket to pull out his cell phone.

"Put your number in,"

April glanced over at him, bewildered. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, screw it. I can have friends." April grinned as she punched in her number, tossing the phone back over to Jack afterwards.

"So if she finds out—"

"She finds out I'll tell her I have a fucking buddy,"

The blush that tainted April's cheeks caused Jack to shake his head with smirk, "I'm just kidding, and if she finds out I'll tell her that we are just friends."

"Good," April was able to stutter out, running a hand through her messy hair. Some blue jays chirped from a tall pine tree a while away as an airplane whizzed by in the sky.

April unexpectedly felt warm hand over top her right hand and looked over to see Jack's hand over her's.

She looked up to his face; a smirk was still bold on his features. "Thank you for being here,"

Astoundingly his voice came out sincere and heartfelt, instead of the cocky attitude she thought would appear. April sent him a lax smile in return, disregarding the warm feeling that overtook her heart. He gave her hand a squeeze, the both of them forgetting about the friend-zone barrier they shared.

Things could be broken.

Things could be amazing.

April cleared her throat, figuring that trying to drag some type of answer out of Jack to figure out his bad mood would be better than flirting with him.

"What's going on Jack? You got a family waiting for you at home so why are you sitting out here talking to me?"

He shook his head, "I," His voice caught, as he let go of April's hand; "I wasn't ready to be a father yet. I'm still not ready April. I thought I was ready to settle down and start a family but I'm not. I don't want to be chained down by something like a kid you know?" He had trouble getting the words out, stumbling over some of the letters.

"You should be happy though; some people would be too scared to even try."

"I don't want to be tied down April," He whispered, his voice sounded heartbroken. "I want to go and party and hang out like how it was before I met Kim. Before I meant her everything was easy and then afterwards, it was all so goddamn crazy. It is goddamn crazy."

"You can't just give up on your family Jack; you have a son who is always gonna wonder why he doesn't have a dad as he is growing up."

"I grew up without a dad."

April scoffed, looking up at the sky.

"That is bullshit and you know it." Jack stayed quiet, ashamed at what he had just said. "I just, I don't know about any of it anymore. To be honest I don't even know if I love Kim anymore."

As Jack said those words, even the birds out in the trees went silent. Jack had told April all about his 'wicked love for Kim Brewer' back when they had first met, the man not sparing any details. Let's just say that April was scarred from any 'adult things' for a little while even if she is an adult herself. April thought Jack and Kim's love was that of a fairytale, one that was rare but real.

It actually fueled her to find love like theirs for herself one day.

Right now though, that fairytale ending seemed to be taking a wrong turn.

"How could love fade like that?" April's tone of voice shocked Jack; it was annoyed and wondering all at the same time.

He looked over at her, "April?"

"You say all the time how you love your family with all your heart and I'm sure that you've promised Kim that same thing over and over again. How did you suddenly stop loving her Jack? How do you suddenly start hating your family?"

"I didn't say I hated my family, I could never say that."

His voice was harsh, "Well then explain to me Jack, explain how you can stop loving someone out of the blue."

He looked like he was at a loss of words for a second before he regained the ability to speak. "I-I don't talk to her anymore. We don't talk anymore or do anything together, it's like she's just someone who has to live with me for a damn law. I don't want that, I want to be with someone who—"

"Who's the one that works all day?" April cut Jack off and he grew irritated.

"Me but I'm also the only one bringing in money. I need to work so that we have a place to live. I don't know how or why it happens April, but love doesn't always last forever. Something usually ends it sooner or later and we just have to deal with it."

April couldn't argue anymore and the tone in Jack's voice told her to end it there. He didn't know why either, he just wanted it all to be over.

The sun faded behind the horizon, darkness starting to take over the sky. April sighed and risked everything by taking Jack's hand, holding it tightly.

"Fairytales aren't real."

It was near elven at night when Jack unlocked the front door to his house, being mindful to shut it quietly behind him in case Scott was asleep. Kim would always sit up in their bedroom waiting for Jack to get home, to make sure he would get home safe and in one piece.

Jack wasn't hungry; his gut was too twisted with what he was going to tell Kim in a little while.

Twenty minutes later, he was clad in black shorts and white tank top along with disheveled hair from his shower a few minutes before. He headed into Scott's room, seeing his son deep asleep in his green crib across the room. Jack walked over, silently laughing at the bright monster outfit Scott was dressed in.

His finger lightly traced over the baby's cheek, "Hey little guy, I'm gonna be gone for a little while. You hang in there alright?" He knew the words leaving his mouth were weak, but at the same time there was nothing else he could really say.

He was leaving.

Jack walked out of the baby's room, heading towards the master as the clock signaled the time of eleven thirty.

There was no backing out of this now, he thought; his gut winding once again when he saw the light leaking out into the hallway from the bedroom he was approaching. Jack tried to walk as slow as possible, trying to deny the unavoidable. He thought back to April's words about how life wasn't a fairytale but right now in that moment, he wished it could be.

He didn't want to string Kim along on false words, even if the word 'love' scarcely left his mouth already.

She deserved to know the truth, that what they had faded—that their magical story had finally come to an end.

Jack just hoped it wouldn't be as messy as he was thinking it would turn out. He entered his room, seeing Kim sitting up in bed chomping on her fingernails.

She had been so apprehensive that particular night for no real reason. He sent her a trivial smile when she looked over to him, Jack saw her visually ease.

His stomach clenched as he approached the bed, Kim allowing the frown to finally withdraw from her face. "Hey," Jack's voice came out dry and forced, coughing afterwards to hide it the best he could. He was being such a wimp, not admitting his true feelings.

His mind was buzzing with different ways to start the conversation, too busy to focus on one direct opening word.

"Hey, are you feeling alright? Hard day at work?" She always showed him every level of compassion when he entered through the door, being low and conserved in case he came home a certain night with his head pounding because of the latest arrest.

Kim always cared through thick and thin but Jack stopped caring a long time ago. He got into his side of the bed, pulling the covers over his lower body.

Maybe it was because it was the same damn thing each day; Jack tried to reason with himself.

There was always a reason for everything . . . right?

Maybe he wanted spontaneous along with unfamiliar instead of repetitive. He felt Kim's hand on his arm, his body shivering from the warm contact.

But this was his wife; could he really leave his wife who he promised to stay with forever and always?

In sickness and in health?

"Kim—"

She outlined patterns on his arm stopping his rant before it started; first a circle, then a square. She finished with a simple triangle going over is gallant veins. He watched her, memorized for a moment. They hadn't had any physical interaction in years, why the sudden change?

Did she know he was about to leave her?

"I'm worried about you Jack," He was surprised with how quiet her voice went and how much dismay was lace through each individual letter. Jack wanted to shove her touch off his arm, why was she doing this all now?

"Why?" His teeth weren't exactly clenched in frustration, but close to it.

"You remember my dad died because he was a firefighter," Jack nodded, Kim's hand moving to calmly rest on his shoulder. "I-It's just that every day you leave before I can even say goodbye and then I fear all day afterwards. What if you don't come back the one time we don't say 'I love you' to each other?"

Those words seemed out of place in Kim's mouth; Jack hadn't heard them in ages—even if she was just using it as an example. He needed to stop this before it got too far, before he wouldn't be able to say what he needed to say.

"We haven't said that in a long time Kim. But I need to tell you something before you—"

"What if you left your job?"

This wasn't supposed to be happening, it was going to be an easy cut-off. But instead it was turning into one of the hardest things Jack would have to do, after the things this talk would most likely bring up.

He played with his hands under the blanket.

Panic gripped him in a hold so tight he thought he couldn't breathe.

How the hell was he going to do this?

Jack collected himself enough to answer, not expecting the aftermath. "I can't leave my job Kim, I'm supposed to protect and serve the people of Seaford Township; not ditch them when they need it."

"What does that even mean Jack? You put your damn life on the line every single day for 'protecting and serving' people who aren't innocent." Jack was dazed by the force behind each word, how every lone one made him re-think his lifetime of being a cop.

She always had that meek effect on him.

"I protect the people that need to be protected and serve the innocent."

"You risk your life for nothing. You have a baby boy who could suddenly be father-less."

Jack's anger started to take over his words as his phone vibrated from the spot it took next to him on the nightstand, "He will never be father-less because I am one of the best on the damn force." His voice rose to a shout as he reached over to glance at the one new text he gained.

The name 'April' flashed across the screen. Jack forgot to keep the text out of Kim's vison as he read it, his mouth staying in a firm line.

Hey how is everything going? If she kicked you out after the news, you can stay over here.

He didn't have enough time to text back as Kim grabbed his phone, "What news?" She questioned in a growl as he nearly freaked out with her stealing his phone.

"Give me that back Kim," He swore he tried to stay composed, but that word wasn't in Jack's dictionary if someone pissed him off.

"What damn news?" Her voice was a bark now, rage in her face.

"Kim—"

"Why is some random ass girl asking if you need to stay over?"

"Kim its nothing,"

"Stop with the damn excuses Jack! What the hell is going on?" He jumped out of the bed and spit it out before he could stop himself.

"I was trying to tell you this entire night that I was going to ask for a fucking divorce!" The silence was deafening, equal to the crack of a gun next to your ear. Kim stared gawking at her husband, his hands formed fists next to his sides. Kim couldn't process it fully.

She was losing her husband.

"Out," She whispered, lifting her deflated body from the bed. Her head hung low as Jack scoffed.

"You can't kick me out of my own house—"

"Get out!" She screamed, pushing him hard in the middle of his chest. Jack exhaled from his nose, closing his eyes.

Then he suddenly moved forward, pushing Kim all the way to the far wall with his chest as his hands slammed next to her head on the wall, the imprints and force causing the wall to crack.

Without a word he stared at her, noticing the terror and felt nothing inside about the tears running down her cheeks.

Then he left her there and headed to the front door, grabbing his keys, shoes, phone and wallet.

He slammed the door behind him, causing the house to quake in his absent.

Kim slid down to the floor, the tears continuing to slowly glide down her cheeks as Scott's cries were heard down the hall.


	4. Another Broken Hero

**~Author's Note~  
You guys almost didn't get an update—school is being a pain in my ass. So please do not hate me for this chapter. Keep in mind I like happy endings on **_**almost **_** everything. Thank you for the wonderful reviews, favorites and follows. **

**Read, enjoy and review :)**

* * *

**4**

_Trouble always seems find_

_A way to live inside my mind_

_My haunted head and me remain alone_

_Underneath my masquerade_

_A simple man who's so afraid_

_I try to find a light to guide me home_

**~Another Broken Hero by Ozzy Osbourne~**

One Year Later

What did he just do?

His mind was jumbled into a million different thoughts, head pounding in a steady beat just like a drum. He sat up and looked around the room, everything from the night before hitting him like a ton of bricks.

He couldn't justify the mistake, it was already done.

He wasn't drunk when it happened; he wasn't hyped up on anything.

This was his mistake, his and only his that he wouldn't be able to fix.

Jack had promised Kim forever and no one else.

He said he wouldn't betray her, that he was only hers. But that was all lost now, it was too late and something he couldn't take back.

He was afraid of it all, he wasn't sure if he would be able to do it all by himself. He glanced over to see who was on the other side of the bed he was in and kept his face emotionless at the naked back that stared back at him.

He felt nothing.

The muted color of crimson colored hair seemed to be watching the man, silently mocking him for how screwed up his life currently was. Jack shook his head as he gently pushed the blankets off him, pulling on his discarded gray sweatpants on from their spot by the bed as he headed to the bathroom.

He needed to get a drink and clear his head, so many things were swarming around his head, buzzing and buzzing.

Jack left the door ajar behind him as he turned on the sink, feeling the cold water fall gracefully through his fingers. He sighed, cupping his rough hands to bring some of the cool liquid up to his lips; causing the vibrant buzzing in his head to cease into a dull ache.

So much was screwed up and so much was his fault. Jack felt his hands drop back under the faucet, but his concentration was already numb to the memories that had started to plague him.

Directly after he left Kim scared to death in her room, he disappeared to a party and got so drunk he couldn't remember his own name. Then he might have kissed a few girls before April appeared and dragged him to her house. It was all fuzzy after that, the woman's couch became his new home.

Their friendship had grown to the max, Jack taking her out places to show April his gratitude for letting him stay there amiss all the other shit that had been going on in the past year.

The divorce papers were finalized by the second week after _that _night, Kim not wanting Jack to have anything to do with Scott. He fought against that, saying that Scott was his own flesh and blood. His ex-wife wouldn't have any of it though, Jack's mind shooting back to that court day.

Kim had only looked at him once, the pure malice cutting into him like a damned chainsaw.

She had her mother with her, who had to keep bringing Scott in and out of the court room because they couldn't afford a babysitter. Jack didn't have to pay any money yet so he took it all, leaving Kim with just a house and bare walls.

Did he feel bad about that?

Looking back on it, yes, but back a few weeks ago—not so much.

If Kim would have just allowed him to be able to see his baby; everything would have been mutual and easier. But she had to go and push his buttons so damn much, it drove him crazy.

All that love for her disappeared, for no real reason at all.

It preoccupied Jack day and night, why it all suddenly stopped but no answer would ever arise; April having to force him to bed some nights because his mind wouldn't shut off.

For the longest time he wanted to give the blonde a reason, any at all for why he suddenly left but none came to him.

Eventfully he gave up, just in time for the court date.

Jack had felt nothing up to the moment when Scott started to crawl towards him, one adorable giddy smile plastered on his face.

_A hand was placed on his shoulder, causing Jack to snap his head to glare at the person. No type of reassurance was going to make him feel better, unless it was the magical type that could make everything seem like it never existed. He heard his son's whines from across the room, not daring to send one regard over that direction. _

_The warm eyes of his mother stared back at him, holding the same amount of attitude they had years ago. No words were shared for a minute, until Jack shattered that by wrapping his arms around her tightly. His head came to rest in the crook of her neck, fingernails gripping securely onto the back of her worn indigo cardigan. _

_Virginia's hand rubbed his back a little, salty menaces jabbing at her eyes. _

_She closed her eyes for a moment, feeling at peace with her son laced around her frail body. "I love you mom," She was flabbergasted to hear the hoarse voice of her child mutter such a modest yet defeated sentence in her ear but still beyond pleased to have him in her arms once again._

"_I'm sorry about everything Jack," She whispered, keeping her voice low. Virginia Brewer was short and plum person with skinny arms. Some thin black hair was present on her head, sunset colored eyes gleaming. Jack could elaborately feel the burden of everything being lifted off of his heart as he stayed in the embrace of his mother; "and I love you too." _

_Everyone knows how that feels, knowing you are needed somewhere by someone. _

_That unbelievable feeling that you're soaring above everyone else and nothing can stop you. _

_That was all Jack needed in that second, something edging him on in a good way. _

"_I'm just glad you're here mom, that's all that matters." _

_The blonde watched as her mother took little Scott into his arms, hushing him as his cries slowly ceased. Kim couldn't deny that there was envy in her stare; all her mother had done for her? _

_Telling her over and over again that Jack was a bad seed from the start. _

_Jean wasn't too good at comforting people and Kim had known that for years but all she wanted was for some type of other care to leave her mouth. Besides the words of 'I told you so'. _

"_Honey, why are you staring? That man doesn't even deserve the time of day." Jean's voice had a strict tone to it, the hate aimed towards Jack leaking through. _

"_I don't know why mom, I don't know." Kim turned her head back towards her mom and baby, who was now soundly snoring in her mother's arms. _

"_He did a horrible thing to you Kim; I knew he wasn't right when—" _

"_Don't you think I know that already? You've only told me this entire time what your thoughts are about this!" Her raised voice caused some heads to face her, including the orbs of Virginia. Jack kept his eyes on the ground. _

"_Kim," Jean lamented, her fingers unintentionally tapping different Bon Jovi beats on Scott's back; "quiet down." _

"_I can't help what I think mom," Kim's voice was scratchy and lowered to a mumble. _

_The older woman could tell how much the entire vast event was overpowering her daughter and in that moment she wished that Vince could be there—holding the both of their hands. _

_What would he do? _

"_Everything will work out Kim, I know it will." _

_Kim shook her head, "I don't think it all will, this is about if Scott can be shared or banned by one parent. What if I lose my baby?" Jean shook her head, reaching out her hand to pull Kim closer to her. _

"_It will baby, I promise." _

"_Mommy, I don't want to lose my baby." _

_Her voice was broken, "You lost the love of your life. You aren't loosing me too, I promise." Jean pulled Kim into a sincere hug, the younger woman sighing heavily. _

"_Why did all of this happen to me?" Her voice was equal to a youngster's, quiet and interrogative. _

"_Sometimes people stray from the path they are meant to be on, it was nothing you could prevent Kimmy." _

_Kim's body tensed up at the mention of her unwanted nickname. _

_Jack would always be an ass and call her that, smirk present and eyes occupied of a playful blaze. _

_She risked a glimpse over towards the devil himself, his arm was placed around his mother's shoulders in a protective hold. She inwardly scoffed, watching carefully just as a cry left Scott. Kim moved away from her mom and tugged the baby from her arms, his cries only growing greater. _

"_Hey, hey what's the matter?" She questioned, feeling her ex-husband's eyes burning a hole in the back of her head. He probably thought she hurt him, Kim thought with abhorrence as she bounced Scott up and down. _

"_Didn't you say he had just started to crawl?" _

_Jean inquired as Kim nodded, "Yeah scared me to death a few days ago. Why?" _

_Kim's mother took Scott back and placed him on the ground, his exclamations stopping promptly. The blonde was shocked for a second and went to pick her baby back up but Jean stopped her. _

"_Let him go, he needs to move around before he go in." _

"_Mom, the floor is dirty—" _

_Jean rolled her eyes with a petite laugh, "He's a boy, he gonna be rolling around in mud puddles soon." _

"_Mom—" _

"_Oh shush, I'll help you throw him in the bath later." Kim groaned quietly, completely disagreeing with her mother's words but letting her son be free none the less. Kim and Jean followed close by to Scott as he quickly crawled across the room, stopping at the feet of Jack. _

_He started to reach his tiny hand out, fingers outstretched to touch Jack's blue Nikes but Kim swiftly picked him up before he could. Jack met Kim's eyes as she hushed Scott, noting the pure bitterness that now coated her usual generous irises. _

_He didn't even know that his hand was extended towards her until he looked down and quickly pulled it back to rest at his side. Virginia grabbed his hand to remind her son not to say anything stupid as Jean cleared her throat. Kim hoped her mom wouldn't let all of her thoughts fly, or else a beat-down would be very possible. _

"_Come on Kim, it won't help anything if we are seen standing here." Jean yanked at her daughter's arm but Kim stayed put, opening her mouth to say one last word to Jack. Just one last thing to rendezvous his mind. _

_She hoped it brought him pain, more so than the current type she was dealing with. _

"_You deserve to rot. In. Hell." Jean moved her hands so that they were covering Scott's ears, exhaling. _

"_Kim—" _

"_Thanks to you my kid is going to grow up asking why he doesn't have a dad like everyone else in school. He will constantly have to learn things on his own because I won't know how to answer his questions right. So I hope you enjoy your life, with the guilt weighing you down so much you suffocate." _

_Jack didn't answer; his hands didn't even clench at his sides—his gut bound with remorse already. _

_He wanted to say so much to her but at the same time, saying so much could cause so many more problems. _

_So instead he stayed mute as the two women in front of him turned and walked away; a tear slipping down his cheek. _

Jack lost custody of Scott that day.

The judge ruled him as an unfit father.

Sure he was pissed about the whole thing but he sure as hell wasn't unfit in any way.

"Jack?" He didn't turn around as the quiet voice questioned him, his eyes watching her reflection in the mirror. She stood in the doorway, his baggy old spider man t-shirt thrown over her unadorned body. Her hair was wiry but her eyes were awake with inquiries.

"I just got up to get a drink." Jack's voice came out oppressed, gravelly. April moved closer to him, wrapping her arms around his bare waist and setting her chin on his shoulder.

"Jack," He cut her off before she could ask one of the most repeated questions in history.

"I'm perfectly fine, everything is fine." April waited before she answered, her fingers dancing over his abs.

"No you aren't." She didn't even try to keep the composed tone in her voice hidden. That tone made Jack push her away from him, that dull, unsurprised tone made it seem like she had already known the answer and Jack hated it. April couldn't relate to him, she was merely a distraction.

An annoying one at that.

"Don't do that." He claimed lowly, April sporting a muddled look on her face.

"Do what?"

"Use that stupid tone of voice like as if you can understand every single thing I'm going through!" He didn't expect his voice to rise to a bellow but it did and he muttered a small 'sorry' afterwards. It was all too much.

He walked back into her bedroom and pulled open the curtain to the window, revealing the shell of the rising sun.

The clock next to the bed read six in the morning to aid the sun going up. The sky was an array of different colors, purple, yellow, blue, black—the entire rainbow if you squinted.

Kim showed him that fact on their two year anniversary, how the sun and the moon isolated an entire rainbow in their mist.

"God damn it," Jack muttered, running a hand through his hair.

He was thinking about her again, jealous of her again.

She wouldn't leave his head, it was like she had secretly made a home in one of his brain cells and wouldn't leave.

Kimberly Crawford would just _not _leave his mind alone.

A dog barked across the street, probably Henry LeBell's mutt Milkshake. That was the sweetest dog on the block, a mix of a Rottweiler and Golden Retriever. Vicious if you dared to break into his shack of a home, but absolutely gentle besides that.

What if Scott ended up wanting his own puppy?

Would Kim be able to afford it?

Would she even say yes?

Jack loved dogs, but he hated Grey Hounds—would Scott want a Grey Hound?

Or would he follow Kim and be a sucker for kittens?

Was he allergic?

It all drove him crazy; he didn't have the slightest clue about his own son because he left. It beleaguered him every day.

"Jack why can't you just move on already? They have probably forgotten about you, so why can't you do the same?"

"How do you know that for sure?" Jack fired back, his heart rate mounting. He could hear the rapid pounding everywhere, in his head all the way down to the tips of his toes. It was like a jackhammer was in use inside of him.

"Because everyone forgets sometime." Her discreet voice seemed to bring him back to shore, soothing the drumbeat of his heart. It lowered the beat to more of a tap, tap instead of a mosh-pit-like crash of drums.

"A—"

He turned around to face her but she brought him into a hug instead, feeling his waterworks on her shoulder. He was blubbering inaudible verses to unknown words, April rubbing his back as his full weight was supported by her arms.

"I need her, I miss her, I love her." Were among his unidentified sniveling and April felt her heart sink but she didn't move.

"I know what that's like Jack, I know how you feel. Loving someone who doesn't love you, who doesn't feel the same way. I know how you feel."

* * *

Life is hard when you are a single mom. Kim was learning that the hard way. With her mom having to take countless business trips, Scott was able to reach and grab anything in his sight of sight to pull onto the floor and then laugh an adorable baby laugh afterwards. Kim was having trouble balancing everything; she wished someone could be at her side and help her out.

She was currently at Shoprite, Scott buckled into the cart seat and so far only cereal in the actual cart. He was behaving pretty well for them just getting there, but that stopped when he went to pull down a box of Oreos and three packs feel down along with the sole double stuffed package.

His laugh sounded through the aisle, Kim almost cussing out loud. She went to bend down and pick up the fallen cookies until a masculine voice stopped her.

"No I got it," A man about two years older but the same height of Kim appeared by her, gently picking up the packs of Oreos and placing them back on the metal shelf. He stood up straight and Kim suddenly felt unprotected under his caring stare.

He had such a compassionate aura radiating off him but at the same time she also felt insecure without her wedding ring on her now bare finger.

He was probably thinking some choice words of 'slut' and 'whore' under his breath when his piercing avocado eyes glanced over at Scott who was giddily smiling in his spot, having snatched Kim's car keys from her purse resting next to him on the seat.

But he didn't walk away like Kim thought he would, instead he stood there; pushing his long dirty blonde hair out of his eyes and holding out his hand. Kim took it and their handshake lingered longer than it should have.

"Thank you, I'm Kim." The man laughed, pulling his hand away with a large smile.

"Anything for a beautiful woman like yourself. I'm Reese Holden, at your service." Kim couldn't help but beam as well as blush and Reese clicked his tongue, "There's a lovely smile! So tell me, what's a gorgeous girl like you doing here all alone with a lovable little baby?"

He reached out his finger to Scott who grabbed it with a grin. It took Kim a moment to find her words as she cleared her throat. "This is my son Scott," Reese didn't seem fazed by Kim's words, instead bringing out his wallet and handing it over to the little toddler.

She noticed how he glanced at her bare ring finger for a spilt second.

"He's darn cute," He answered, watching Scott with happiness.

"Thank you but I'm just warning you—he likes to throw things."

Reese nodded, "Well I'm broke anyways so there isn't really anything to throw lucky for him."

Scott started to attempt to pull out Reese's license as Kim surveyed thankfully. He had saved her at just the right time to help her and he was a total sweetheart as well. "So where is the lucky father?"

Kim's gut dropped at the mention of Jack, she didn't even want to say his name.

Or think about him for that matter.

"Um . . . well he kind of . . . left." It came out so stupid, Kim wanted to slap herself afterwards. She was stunned to see Reese turn towards her with a gloomy expression on his features.

His chiseled jaw actually went tight with slight anger, "I'm sorry to hear that, I have a friend whose husband left her too. Let's just say her tears easily soaked through ten pars of my shirts."

As he mentioned that, Kim gave him an once-over and impassively chuckled at the 'Built Ford Tough' tank top he had. To top it off, he had on sandals and Adidas black and white stripped shorts. She could tell he had a care-free attitude.

"I was like that for a little bit," She admitted softly, his emerald eyes seemed like they already knew everything about her. The warmth in them caused Kim to just _want_ to break down and tell him everything. Without warning, he pulled her into a tight hug, Kim gasping at the sudden contact but then relaxing afterwards.

His burly body engulfed her's completely and she was actually thankful for the interaction. "I'm sorry about all of that," He mumbled, "but I can help you if you'd like."

Kim thought for a moment, hearing Scott squeal in glee as he finally pulled Reese's license from his wallet.

"I would love that," She answered as they pulled away and his smile was infectious.

She didn't want to be afraid anymore.

* * *

Jack and April sat at the kitchen table eating, Jack shoveling in his scrambled eggs faster than a vacuum cleaner. "Damn Jack, at least leave some for the ants," April dead-panned as he smiled. After their little mishap earlier on that morning, everything was finally getting straightened out again. Jack was calmer about everything and ready for work.

Neither had brought up what had happened the night before yet.

"The ants don't need to eat my delicious cooking; I'll give them some leftovers of your horrible microwaveable hot pockets instead." April reached over and punched his shoulder, causing Jack to laugh out loud.

"My cooking isn't that horrible you asshole, Milkshake likes it."

"He likes it because all Henry feeds him is milkshakes. The day that dog has some real food well be the day hell freezes over."

"Well then maybe you should make him a meal and see what happens."

Jack sneered good-humoredly, "Hell no, I don't want to be the reason why all the damn idoits are left in this world!"

April ate the last piece of toast on her plate and then stood up to go and wash her plate, picking Jack's clear one as well. "Thanks," He checked his phone and the time of seven seventeen occupied the screen. "Damn Rossi is going to have our heads if we aren't at the station in twenty minutes. Will you be ready in five?"

April turned off the sink after she washed her hands, turning towards Jack. She thought he looked so handsome all decked out in his police uniform, messy hair as crazy as ever. She started to wonder if the night before met as much to him as it did to her.

"Jack,"

She stated carefully, wondering if she should even been treading in such uncharted waters; "Yeah?"

"When are we going to talk about what happened last night?" She announced, not giving him a second to think. Jack's eyes down casted to the floor for a second and then back to her face, perceiving the uneasiness in her eyes.

"What about last night?"

"What we did," There was no turning back now, she thought as Jack stood up with a heavy sigh.

"I don't know, continue on as usual?" April felt her heart halt in that moment, every piece smashing into fragments. He wasn't looking in her direction, instead pulling on his boots by the front door. She walked over to him, keeping her footsteps light.

How could he say that?

How could he do this to her?

"But—"

"Oh shit," He suddenly exclaimed, turning towards April whose eyes were wide. "You are on the pill right? Because I think I forgot to—"

She cut him off before he could finish, "Yeah, yeah of course." She muttered, Jack sending her a smile.

"It was just a onetime thing; I couldn't stand the thought of losing you to something so stupid." He finished tying his left boot as he opened the front door; "Outside in ten at the most?"

April sent him a fake smile, "Yeah, give me a minute." He nodded and headed towards his car, shutting the front door with a slam behind him.

April stood there for a moment, the devastated woman trying to collect her thoughts.

He didn't care, she lost her virginity to him and he didn't care one little bit.

She loved him and he didn't give a crap.

Then a thought struck her as she headed down the hall to the bathroom, opening up the cabinet above the sink and taking out the round package of birth control pills.

With a flick of her wrist they were in the trashcan, never to be seen again. She smiled, looking at her tired face in the mirror.

"He will just have to learn how to love again," She muttered, imaging herself with a pregnant belly.

Friendships like theirs either turn into something more or never last right?

April was making sure it wasn't the latter.


	5. 1979

**~Author's Note~  
So this update was really delayed, sorry about that . . . school with no way around it. I have no idea how the updates are going to work, so bear with me. I have a few things to say, number one thank you to everyone who reviewed and read the last chapter; it means a ton.**

**Number two; I have a few words for that super **_**"nice" **_**reviewer who decided to spam my story. Thanks for bumping up the reviews to above sixty; that's awesome. But at the same point just one simple review with your option on my story was enough. I understand what you're saying about how the last chapter was a little sad but there is no need to spam story about it. This is rated teen, which means there will probably be heavy material in here sooner or later considering my other stories. I don't not however appreciate you saying to remove my story. There are plenty worse stories on here all throughout fanfiction, with worse content than my story. (No meaning to bash anyone) Just because one little thing was 'sad' isn't a good enough reason to abandon my story. I hate sad ending as I have said over and over again so if there is sadness it will maybe last about a paragraph. Would you rather me kill everyone off like seriously—but once again thank you for your **_**generous**_** reviews. *rolls eyes* **

**Sorry about that, took me forever to say that in the **_**nicest **_**way possible. **

**Thank you also to those who stood up to that reviewer, it means everything that you have my back :)**

**Read, enjoy and review! :D**

* * *

**5**

_All the decades and the years have passed_

_Not every family is built to last_

_No time can take away these memories_

_Remember when you said to me, that we'd be alright_

**~1979 by Good Charlotte~**

Six Years Later . . .

Nothing is ever built to last.

Some things can just take all of the setbacks longer, still standing strong afterwards. Other things though, crash long before they can even make it halfway.

Tattered before the hardest challenge is even thrown at them.

Kim always thought it would last forever, but it got demolished long before that.

Now here she was, with a caring long-term boyfriend and adorable little seven year old son.

Why couldn't she commit?

Every day Jack was pushed to the farthest part of her mind, it goes to show that your past mistakes haunt you longer than the present screw ups do.

Reese was completely willing to do anything for Kim; no matter if it was waiting longer for her hand in marriage or having to deal with her snarky attitude at times when she was pissed.

He wanted kids.

And here Kim was, holding up his dreams because she claimed she _still _wasn't ready after six years.

They hadn't slept together; they vaguely passed the heated kissing stage. They got together two years ago, after being close friends for four. Reese cared for Scott like he was his own, but both adults knew that the boy was really neither's.

Scott was nearly a duplicate of Jack; same arrogance, same everything.

Of course Kim loved her child, but he was a walking reminder of Jack; waking her up with a goofy grin every morning. The blonde wanted to start over, she yearned for a new life.

But she couldn't do that if constant reminders of her old one were shoved in her face every day.

Her phone alarm went off at half past eight, blaring the chorus of 'Sugar, We're Going Down' by Fall Out Boy. You could never beat the classics of course. She lazily threw her arm over and slammed the snooze button a little bit harder than needed.

Her action caused Reese to jolt awake, eyes wide and alert.

He had always been a light sleeper; her midnight tries to sneak in a bowl of ice cream at night at a standstill by his all-knowing-smirk when she would turn around. Jack was probably able to sleep through a damn hurricane, Kim thought bitterly one time after her umpteenth attempt to finish off the carton of Cookie Dough with Reese appearing and scolding her playfully like a child.

"Will you ever learn to actually sleep?" Kim whispered drowsily, her eyes still closed as she rolled towards the center of the bed.

"Will you ever learn to not take up the entire bed?" He countered back, gently giving her shoulder closest to him a light shove.

"Good morning to you too," Kim muttered, groaning when she felt him sit up next to her. "Can't we sleep in today? Isn't it Sunday?"

"Well," He answered, standing up and glancing back over at his girlfriend with a comical look gracing his features; "no because I have a meeting until this evening in the town over. While you told me that Tom wanted you to come in today to take notes at _his _meeting."

Kim finally opened up her eyes, staring directly into Reese's bright green ones.

"Shit, I actually forgot about that."

"That's why I'm here Kim, to make sure you never forget about being a human with a job." He replied lightheartedly, "I'll go wake up Scott."

He left the room, Kim sighing as she closed her eyes again. She worked as a helper to one of Seaford's biggest building companies, while Reese worked as a simple business man for the daily paper. Kim didn't like her job, she had always wanted to be a teacher but the chance never came. Scott already had to go to school as it was.

He was still in kindergarten, just a more advanced one. He wasn't getting the facts enough to move onto first grade so he stayed where he was. Kim got mad at times, wondering why Scott was slow considering she graduated with all A's and Jack at least made it through with some B's and C's. Then she would cuss herself out afterwards, thinking such stupid little thoughts.

Suddenly laughter filled her ears as a round head of bleach blonde hair filled her now open orbs, attempting to tickle her stomach. Scott's dark colored eyes were filled with the same spirited glow, as she went to tickle his sides first. Reese watched from the doorway, a sad smile on his face.

He loved them both so much, but he wanted a son with his hair and Kim's lively eye color.

None of Jack's figure or Jack's eye color or Jack's smile.

He wanted all of that to be Kim and his.

"Alright mister, go get ready for school—you know the drill." Scott fell backwards on the bed next to Kim, arms thrown out wide with an over-dramatic exhale escaping him.

"Do I have to mommy?" Kim laughed, risking a glance at Reese who shook his head.

"Yes Scott, you have to. What if you don't go and then some other cool dude picks up a new girl?" Scott's eyes lit up, showing off his toothy grin and nearly bolting from his mother's bed.

"No other kid is gonna take a hot girl away from me!" Both adults chuckled as Kim stood up, stretching her arms.

"She got all of that girl shit from you Reese,"

"Me?" Reese repeated, taking a step towards Kim. "Never."

She rolled her eyes as his arms snaked around her waist. His warm breath was in her face, and she looked into his eyes.

"If I recall correctly, you told him what a 'hot chick' was." He smiled, his thumb rubbing the small of her back.

"Maybe I did say that . . ." He paused, "Don't you want that Kim?"

Her face grew puzzled, "Want what?"

"A kid we can both share."

She wanted to be angry at him.

"Reese, I told you I'm not ready."

"Kim," He said as tease, "it's been six years."

She couldn't though.

"I'm just not ready. I'm sorry. I know you want your own family but—"

"Will you ever be ready Kim?" He mumbled, his left hand reaching up and touching her cheek. Kim wished she knew the answer as Scott hurried back into the room, tugging on Kim's pajamas.

"Can we go now mommy? I don't want to miss out on any hot chicks!"

Reese slowly let go of Kim, bending down and picking Scott up with a grunt. "I'll take you to school buddy, your mom can pick you up in the afternoon."

"Okay Reese, bye mommy!" He waved as Reese walked out of the room, not caring that he was only clad in a tank top and sweats. He could stop back at home after Kim was at work.

Scott never picked up calling Reese 'dad' even though both parents wanted him to; they tried over and over again with all their might with no success. Kim could admit that she was partly glad that Scott didn't call Reese 'dad'.

That name was reserved for Jack, even if he didn't care enough to deserve it.

Kim stared after the two most important people in her life, flinching when the door slammed.

She didn't think she would ever be ready to be with someone else forever.

She didn't want to get traumatized and left on the curb once again.

* * *

"Kid!" Little Haley Maddison hurried into the front room where her father was lifting some weights, inhaling and exhaling after each lift. She wrung her hands, looking into the dark russet eyes of her dad, trivial anxiety concealed behind her orbs.

"Bring me my bottle from the fridge." He lowered the weights back to the ground with a heavy sigh and wiped his brow with the blue towel on the floor next to him. Haley walked back into the room, an ice cold beer bottle in her tiny fingers.

When Jack glanced up and saw beer in his daughter's hands, he cursed out in annoyance. "Why the hell are you bringing me a beer bottle?" Haley failed to find the words she wanted to leave her mouth. "I meant my water bottle. Beer doesn't hydrate you kid. Stop acting so stupid,"

His voice was low with an angry tone. Haley looked down to the ground, wishing that a super hero type of mom would appear and save her from the same actions every day and night. She didn't want to find out what happened if she didn't listen to her father. "I just thought—"

Jack scoffed like an infuriated teenager, cutting his daughter off. "I only drink after work; I can't stumble in at eight in the morning. I'll lose my damn job and then we would be living in a box. Would you want that?"

"No daddy."

"That's what I thought."

Haley stood there, her long brown hair tangled and in knots as she debated her next words. She was smart for her age. Most five year olds still had trouble with ordinary things.

Haley didn't.

Jack ignored her when she tried to show him yet another perfect test score of a one-hundred when she would come home.

He ignored her all the time, the only time he cared was when he wanted a beer or had to pick her up from school or drop her off.

The mother ditched Haley with him after she was born, Jack not being able to fight off the charges or give Haley away.

There still was a heart in him, just buried deep inside.

"When are we leaving for school daddy?" Her voice was tiny, with deep auburn eyes so bright with hope that it would've caused Jack to chuckle any other time.

He sighed, scratching the bold beard that covered his chin.

"What time do you have to be there by?" He asked that same question every day, his mind still too buzzed from the night before to remember correctly.

"Nine. We only have twenty minutes to get there daddy, unless we leave now."

Haley never lost the habit of calling her father 'daddy'. She didn't have a mother so she was close to her dad, even if he didn't return the feelings. He might not be the man who would be at her side in an instant if she needed it like the superhero he used to tell her about every night; but if she was in danger Jack sure as hell would save her.

When Haley was little, Jack wouldn't let her out of his sight.

That changed about a year ago, when everything just seemed to close in on him and then everything disappeared.

"Are you ready?" His voice was uncaring, as he walked towards his room a few feet away. Haley stared after him for a second, watching carefully as he wiped the sweat off his bare chest.

The simple necklace around his neck bounced with Jack's movements; sending a gleam here and there. There was a thick sliver ring hooked on the inside of the necklace and Haley could swear that her father never took the necklace off.

There were times when he would carefully clean in the bathroom, using a cloth rag and softly making sure no scratches were present.

She believed it was the ring from her unknown mommy, and Haley was glad that her father took such good care of the plain thing.

Haley turned and headed towards the stairs, a smile ghosting over her face.

They lived in a small house, there were two rooms in a jammed upstairs' floor but it was beyond tiny. That was all Haley's and Jack lived in the large master bedroom next to the front door, his various weights and work-out equipment taking up the rest of the room in the family room. The kitchen and one bathroom downstairs were dinky. Haley turned towards the stairs and went to her room, throwing on her backpack.

Jack quickly got changed, wiping the sweat off his body and then throwing on a blue worn Pepsi t-shirt along with some faded black jeans. His navy blue Nikes were tossed on his feet after. He ran a hand through his hair and grabbed his black ripped wallet and keys, stuffing both things in his pocket as Haley appeared in the doorway.

A cheesy smile was plastered on her face and Jack sneered a little.

The smile promptly vanished.

"Got all your crap kid?"

"Yeah daddy," There wasn't a bus stop close enough to their house, so it was the same routine every day.

Jack was off from work that day.

"Damn—"

Jack's phone went off, cutting him off. He cussed softly and went across the room, not looking at the number as he picked up the phone. "Hello?" His tone was grumpy, indicating whoever was on the other end to not mess with him.

"Fuck Jack, don't you know how to be happy for once?" A small smirk highlighted his features as Haley watched from the doorway.

"No, I like to be broody all the damn time."

"Funny,"

Donna Tomlin's voice held sarcasm in her letters as she answered, "What do you want? I have to be somewhere in less than thirty minutes."

He wanted to flirt with Donna until the sun went down, but Haley needed to be at school. At least he could have time to himself that way. "I just wanted to make sure that we are still on for tonight," Her voice went down to a whisper.

"Of course," Jack said with a chuckle, "Why wouldn't we be?"

"Just making sure, what time do you want me to be there?" Jack looked over at Haley, who seemed to shrink under his gaze.

"Ten is fine; everything will be out of the way by then."

"Alright Jack, see you then."

She hung up before he could answer, a grin still fixing itself on his lips anyways.

Haley hated it when this happened.

Her dad would want her in bed by eight and she wasn't allowed to come downstairs for the rest of the night, not until he came up to tell her it was okay.

So many different girls would be in and out of the house; Haley would sometimes sit at the top of the stairs just to see what each special guest looked like, to see if any of them were her mom.

Blue hair, blonde hair, brown hair, red hair; but none with the same color eyes as hers.

Jack had told her once that her eyes came from her mom, even though they looked exactly like Jack's. He mostly said that just so he could believe he had a fragment of Kim with him at the time. Tonight was going to be one of those nights, and the little girl didn't want that to happen.

Jack sighed as he looked over to Haley who seemed to be lost in his own thoughts and his heart clenched just for a second.

One, two—there went the two most important girls in his life.

Three, four—he didn't even want the only little girl left behind.

* * *

"And don't—"

"Talk to any strangers out in black vans, I know daddy, I know."

"That's my kid," He ruffled her hair as he walked up to the front door with her, both of them stopping right before they went separate ways. "Behave or else alright?"

"Yes daddy,"

"I'll pick you up at the bell," He turned and started to walk back towards his truck, Haley's wave stopping before it reached her fingertips.

"I love you daddy," She called, Jack turning his head slightly and lifting his hand in a short wave in response. Haley sighed and headed inside, heading towards her kindergarten class. She took a seat at the farthest table from the door, hoping no one sat next to her.

All the other kids would do was made fun of her and frankly, she was getting sick of it even if she couldn't do anything about it.

"Are you a hot chick?" A boy took a seat next to her, starting to pull out his pack of crayons from his Power Rangers backpack. Haley was scared to answer; she didn't want to say the wrong thing.

"My name is Haley," She settled for, her cheeks red as she stared down at her paper. Whoever this boy was, he seemed bothersome. How dare he sit next to her, she was supposed to be at a table all by herself.

"My name is Scott, nice to meet you. Reese told me to look for hot chicks but I don't know where to start. My mom doesn't help me out." Haley was silent as she pulled out a pink marker from her bag, her stomach stirring in pain. This boy, Scott, had a mommy and daddy.

Why did she only have one?

Her dad would never give her a straight answer.

"Why do you call your daddy 'Reese'?" She couldn't help it, she wanted to know. She wanted Scott to give her answers.

"Well," He paused and struggled with drawing an arm to the stick figure he was drawing. His brows ceased in concentration for a moment until he continued. "My dad left because he was scared. So Reese came in and now he takes care of me and my mom. I like him; I just call him by his name because I don't really want to call him dad."

"Why not?" Scott sighed, taking the pink marker from Haley's hand and using it to color the shirt on his paper.

"I don't want to call Reese that and then have him leave. I don't want to hurt my mommy." Scott reframed from calling his mom 'mommy' in public because he thought it made him look weak. He didn't want to look weak in front of any hot chicks.

Haley decided to open up, "I don't know who my mommy is. It's just me and my daddy." Scott glanced over at Haley as a thought struck his mind.

"Maybe I can ask Reese to come and help you out too!" Haley stopped coloring to look over at Scott, a large smile on her face—showing her missing front tooth.

"Really?"

"Yeah! He helped my family out, I'm sure he can help you out too!"

"Thank you, my full name is Haley Maddison Clark by the way."

Scott smiled as well, "Scott Ryder Brewer. I know I'm not supposed to be saying this in front of strangers, but you aren't a stranger so if you ever need to find me I live at 302 Burrow Drive." He didn't seem to be in a scary black van, so he could probably be trusted; Haley thought as she answered.

"I live at 21 Hallows Death Ave. My house isn't too big; it's the one by the creepy white tree with some weird symbol engraved on it."

"Awesome!"

Haley couldn't help but laugh and smile for the rest of class, both kids sharing little things about the other until the bell rang at the end of the day.

They walked out the front doors together, Scott pulling Haley towards Kim who was waiting at the front of her car.

"Mommy! I made a new friend—this is Haley and I told her we could let her borrow Reese so he can fix her family too!"

"Scott honey I don't—" Kim looked up when she saw a large figure come up from behind Scott and Haley; grabbing Haley's shoulder roughly and pulling her backwards.

Kim was at a loss for words as the entire world seemed to crash around her.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"


	6. Simple Man

**~Author's Note~**

**So I'm not dead, I am so so so sorry. Life has been crazy. But here is the long awaited chapter six. There might be some one-shots I post if I ever get around to writing them as well. Some in either the Kickin' It, Step Up, or Hunger Games categories. **

**I really hope this is worth the long, sucky wait. :)**

**Read, enjoy and review! :D**

* * *

**6**

_Mama told me when I was young_

_Come sit beside me, my only son_

_And listen closely to what I say._

_And if you do this_

_It will help you some sunny day._

_Take your time . . . Don't live too fast,_

_Troubles will come and they will pass._

_Go find a woman and you'll find love,_

_And don't forget son,_

_There is someone up above_

**~Simple Man by Lynyrd Skynyrd~**

It was hard to read his voice and decide if it was hate etched in every letter or relief; those two things were far too similar those days.

The color of his eyes was worn, so damn worn that Kim knew something had happened to him. It looked like he had been through hell and back, gaining some new bruises and scars in the process. They were still that vivid shade of chocolate, just darkened.

Kim honestly was scared; she didn't know what he had witnessed in the past few years to cause his orbs to be so tired and broken.

Kim hated that, she hated it.

A part of her wanted to pull him into her arms and kiss the crook of his neck whispering muted 'I love yous' until the calloused, fiery hands of hell released their hold on him.

Kim couldn't help but feel that this was all her fault.

She took in his figure, wondering if he was married or still a cop.

Did the words that had slipped out of her mouth so many years ago mean anything?

Did spitting them out do anything?

Was he changed?

His mouth was plastered in a frown, Kim's mind flashing back to the countless smirks he used to send her way. His hair was cut the same way as before, long and stunning. His jaw was more defined, sending unstoppable chills down her spine, her mind going back to moments she always had tried so hard to forget about.

The vein in his neck was intrepid with the resentment he was trying to conceal, arms and muscles bigger than Kim remembered.

You could see that he still worked out, possibly even more than before by the present veins engraved on both of his arms; his tan skin color causing them to look more distinct than they really were. His blue shirt hung close to his body, daring her to look further; secretly pleading for her to recollect something.

His hand was outstretched and resting on Haley's left shoulder, towering over her because of the height difference.

Kim noticed no ring on either finger, not even one from their old marriage. Her face was twisted into a pure look of despair; almost like as if she got caught stealing from a cookie jar. Kim knew her face was brighter than Jack's.

She knew she was happier than he was, she knew he wasn't enjoying life at the moment.

The little girl beside him was beautiful and Kim couldn't convince herself that she wasn't Jack's even if she tried; the similar features too much to doubt.

She felt a pain in her heart at the moment, knowing that he left her and then went and had a kid with someone else.

Was it on purpose?

Or a mistake?

Did it change his life for the better like Reese did for her?

The ring resting against Jack's chest was burning a hole directly to his heart and even the rage couldn't cease how beautiful Kim looked to him. His heart was hammering in a steady beat; head a jumble of words and numbers. She was here, standing in front of him.

The young boy standing next to her was his son. Jack felt a smile tug at his lips when he saw the features on Scott, his eyes were filled with a dazed wonder. That's when the feeling sunk in.

Scott didn't know him; he didn't know a damn thing about him.

All the rage he was displaying on the outside became nonchalant suddenly, and the only thing that snapped him out of his reserve was the small cry that escaped Haley. Haley couldn't hold back the cry that escaped her lips from the tight hold Jack had on her shoulder.

Surprisingly enough; Jack wasn't even paying attention; he was too engrossed in stealing glance after glance at Kim.

He still couldn't believe she was here, standing in front of him—

"Let her go Jack," Kim didn't even remember allowing the words to leave her mouth, Jack staring directly at her with an appalled face surrounding his usually bright features. Haley glanced up at Kim and couldn't help but allow a smile to fit her lips as Scott stepped forwards and took her hand in his.

The blonde was still trying to process what she had just said, shocked at how even and firm her voice came out; a direct difference from the pain that was rippling across her heart.

All Jack could feel was his wedding ring burning and burning under his shirt, he swore to God that there was a gaping hole where his heart was and crisp edges of melted skin clinging onto the ring. Subconsciously, his grip on Haley became tighter, as if it was a small act of defiance to what Kim had uttered.

Some invisible force propelled him to challenge her, to show her she didn't have any say over what happened to Haley. Jack looked at Kim, feeling a smirk ghost over his lips.

But his throat closed under her seemingly-all-knowing gaze.

He cleared his throat after staring at her for a moment, willing himself to speak. "She's fine,"

The emotional tension that surrounded his words was enough to send Kim's heart soaring again, even if his tone screamed the words "fuck off because she's my kid".

Kim looked down at the two kids standing below them and she hoped Scott wouldn't put two and two together. She hoped he wouldn't be able to realize how similar their smiles were, how Scott's lips would pinch upwards in a smirk when something stupid happened.

Kim also noticed that grip he had on Haley's hand, her hardened features relaxing instantly at the warming sight that caused her heart to jerk in pain.

The subject had never been reviewed, about if Scott ever wanted a little brother or sister. But Haley and he looked like two peas in a pod.

"She's fine?" Kim's voice was full of disbelief and Scott turned towards his mom, his eyes full of puzzlement. "She's not fine Jack and I would think that you as her _father_ would be able to see that." There was the word everyone was trying to avoid and deny.

There was the big explosion that was trying to be fully ignored.

Jack exhaled slowly and silence ensued for a moment. Then he didn't waste a beat in answering back.

"Don't tell me what I do and don't know Kim." His voice was bold, and she could hear the escalating resentment behind his words. Kim simply shook her head in response, reaching out to Scott to gently grab his arm, but Jack's hand made it there first as he pulled Scott towards him; still managing to keep Haley in his hold.

Any words she was going to say died before they could leave her mouth, falling down into the murky abyss of nothingness below.

That's how she felt in that moment, that if Jack took Scott away she would be nothing again.

Nothing ever again.

Kim's heart dropped to her gut and for a few seconds she believed that Jack was going to take Scott away from her, just like that. A simple hit and run; her heart wouldn't be able to bare it. Scott let go of Haley's hand as he was pulled towards the mystery man named Jack.

He stayed quiet as Jack squatted down and looked at him, taking in every feature of his baby boy.

He hated how he looked at Jack like some type of monster. Maybe that was all in his head and it was just misunderstanding that riddled the boy's features but his mind was just too twisted to understand the difference, warped by rage and a burning to hurt Kim like she hurt him.

But this was his baby boy.

Jack sighed and let go of Haley to run a hand through his hair, squeezing his eyes shut for a second. Haley took this as her chance to escape it all for a second and wander towards Kim, who looked down at her and within seconds of seeing the heartbroken look on her face Kim bent down and wrapped her in her arms; trying her best to pardon her from the wrath of Jack—or whoever he was anymore.

He wasn't the same.

Kim pressed a sweet kiss to Haley's forehead, keeping her coffee orbs on her little boy held tight by Jack's grip. Haley felt some tears leak out of eyes, burying her face into Kim's body. She hadn't had a hug like this one from her dad in ages.

"It's alright, it's all gonna be okay." Kim muttered into Haley's ear, making damn sure that Jack couldn't hear her.

She didn't know what his next move would be and she wanted to make sure it wasn't anything bad. All she wanted was peace, even if that was too much to ask for.

Meanwhile Jack felt tears prick at his eyes and he ignored the feeling, urging it all to go away.

He clasped Scott's shoulder harder by accident and when he felt his child wince under his touch his heart broke.

He was done.

Kim was happy.

He wasn't.

"What's been going on son? Are you happy?" The words were so broken and quiet that Scott had to strain his ears to hear what Jack had said but his eyes widened in shock once he recollected what he had said fully.

"D-Daddy?" Scott questioned; a newfound wonder in his eyes.

This man was his father?

Why did he leave?

What happened?

So many thoughts clouded Scott's mind he didn't know what to believe.

Jack sat there for a few moments until he realized what he had just done.

He told him.

He fucking told him.

Jack wasn't supposed to say anything, it was like an unspoken agreement and now he went and said something. He stood up suddenly, nearly sending Scott to the ground. His eyes were gazed over and his voice was broken with hate and venom and love.

"Haley let's go." He was such a fucking idoit. "We need to leave now."

When she didn't walk over towards him, he went over and got her; picking her up and rapidly rushing towards his car. He had to get out of there before he screwed up the rest of his fucking life.

"Daddy—"

Her little voice was meek in his jumbled mind, only reminding him of Kim and sending a new wave of rage coursing through him.

"Shut up," He seethed, not glancing back once at the shattered family he left behind.

* * *

"Hey Kim, I'm so sorry about earlier I was being a stupid idiot and—"

"Not now Reese, I-I just need some time to myself right now."

She had rushed home after that, picking up some McDonald's for Scott and Reese whist ignoring all the directions her heart was being yanked in at that very moment. She needed to escape and leave and never come back. But there was a huge boulder blocking her way . . . and it just so happened to grab her wrist and turn her towards him.

"Whoa, whoa. Baby, what happened?" She was beyond happy that her tears didn't make an appearance yet; glad they were still hidden away.

Reese's hold moved from her wrist to both of her shoulders and she had no choice but to look up at him, her heart being jerked in yet _another _way, though this feeling felt more like something was being stabbed into her gut over and over. "Talk to me Kim, it's alright. It's always gonna be alright."

He uttered, rubbing her shoulders slowly up and down. The notion was relaxing and enough to make the fuzzy sound in her ears stop and the rapid beat of her heart to decrease. She heard Scott laugh happily at the Pokémon cartoon he was watching in the other room, reruns of the old Diamond and Pearl series.

Kim wanted to laugh at the overall pathetic way she was acting.

She wanted to cry and burst out laughing all at the same time. Was that sane? Kim didn't even know. Reese pressed a soft kiss to her cheek and then rested his forehead against hers, those beautiful damn jade irises boring into her's. Just looking at him, at the love-struck features on his face caused Kim to want to open up completely to him.

After a moment of debate and Reese gently swaying Kim's body with his, she exhaled with a shaky breath. "I saw someone today Reese. Someone I thought I would never have to deal with again . . ."

Her statement left many open questions and she could visually see the gears turning in Reese's head.

"Who would cause you so much pain—" He stopped mid-sentence as the truth dawned on him, causing his brows to cringe in abhorrence.

Irritation followed closely after as his hands played with Kim's.

"Jack?" He spit out the word like a bad piece of meat, like as if saying it would bring him undesirable discomfort. Kim nodded, not trusting herself to speak. "How did he find you?"

The blonde gulped, worried about what she could possibly say next.

She knew if she said the truth Reese would literally go on the hunt for Jack, searching high and low just to try and beat him to a bloody pulp. What threw her stomach around even more was the fact that she knew for a fact that Reese wouldn't win. Sure, Reese in ways was a wimp. He had strength, but he wasn't too beefy with fat or muscle for that fact.

With how she just saw him, how clearly obvious his new found muscles were—it was almost like Jack was waiting for a fight to come around.

Like as if Jack had something to settle with everyone and he wanted to make sure anyone that came barreling towards him could see what was coming for them before the first punch was even thrown.

"W-When I went to go and pick up Scott," Kim saw Reese flinch at the name but she couldn't blame him. It was cold enough; "he was there picking up his . . . daughter."

It hurt her beyond belief to allow that word to leave her mouth and she didn't think it would affect Reese as much as it did.

"What?" His voice was sharp, hurried, disbelieving. Any word that meant something deeply horrible—that's what he felt like shouting out. He wasn't one to curse, at all. It was usually Kim who would let one slip out in front of Reese and he would be the parent-like one to scold her and remind her that Scott was just a little boy but in that moment; there were no gates.

"She—"

He pulled away from Kim, taking a step back to steady himself.

"He had another kid? After all the shit he did to you? He got another kid to beat around?" Kim's mouth went agape. She had never heard him curse before, not once. She was equal to a fish out of water, trying to gain some type of ability to speak something rational.

"Reese—"

She was barely able to get a simple word out before he turned to her with a full-fledged fire burning deep in his eyes.

"That bastard doesn't deserve the grace of having another kid. We don't even have one and that man, that same man who haunts you at night and ripped your heart out, got another!"

"Reese that isn't true," Even though, his words held some truth considering that sometimes abruptly during the year, Kim would jolt awake to a stream of endless nightmares—all thanks to Jack. She would of course lie to Reese and claim they were about her job or loosing Scott but he never truly believed her. He wasn't one to be taken for a fool.

"Don't give me that bullshit Kim, he haunts you. Scott haunts you."

His voice was deathly low and Kim was scared for what he could really do if no one was there to stop him.

"Maybe it was an accident. There was no wedding band on his finger, why would he even want more kids if he didn't want Scott?" She tried her best to make Reese see the shadowed side of the conversation but his mind was too based on the matter at hand.

"And maybe he fucking did it for spite Kim, you don't fucking know that's for sure. You are too fucking clueless to know anything!"

Silence ensued.

They had never had a fight like this before and he had never blown his top, approaching Kim and jabbing an accusing finger in her face.

Scott was standing behind Reese, his treasured 'Sir Daddy' black and white spotted dog clutched tightly in his fingertips. His lips were tugged in a scared frown.

"Calm down Reese." Her voice was steady, even if inside she was about to freak out.

"Calm down?" He roared, causing Scott to jump slightly. Neither parent noticed his tiny trembling form. "You can't tell me to calm down, you—just, no!"

That's when all hell broke loose as his hand glided towards her shoulder in a way of trying to hit her.

"Mommy!"

She dodged to the left, glancing at him with frightened orbs. He looked at the place she used to be standing and then at the place she was standing, an appalled look present on his face.

Kim turned in the direction of Scott's voice, going over and pulling him into an tight hug as Reese stayed frozen in his spot. "Scott, baby, are you okay?"

"Yeah mommy I'm fine. What did Reese just—"

"Nothing honey, he didn't do anything. It's all gonna be okay. Come on, we are gonna go someplace for a little while." Reese finally turned towards Kim, and he reached for her.

"Baby, baby I'm sorry." She avoided his touch completely as she lifted up Scott and headed towards the door. "Kim!" He shouted, the blonde shaking her head and willing her tears not to fall. "Kim!"

This time his voice was louder, closer. Kim quickly took a glimpse in the direction where his burly form was coming from and shook her head once more.

"Go to hell Reese, and never come back." The door slammed behind her as Reese stopped and looked on, helpless completely.

Then he saw a flash of light out the small window, "Kim!"

His voice reached nothing as his family sped away.

Scott was seated in Kim's lap as she played with his blonde locks, her mind wandering off to foreign places. She had taken Scott to the only safe place she knew anymore—The Scrapyard.

This was the only place left for outcasts like them anyway.

"Mommy?" Scott's voice was quiet, nearly unheard by his mother.

"Yeah?"

"What happened with Reese mommy?" Kim sighed, shaking her head once again and finally feeling the tears fall down her cheeks.

"Nothing honey, everything is just fine. Reese just needs a few hours to himself. But I can promise this Scott. You aren't loosing me, I promise."

* * *

"Daddy? Who was that? What happened? What's going o—"

"Shut up you little bitch! I can't take it anymore!"

Jack yanked at his hair as he darted to the fridge and quickly tugged at a bottle of wine, pulling the cap off and forcing it to his lips.

He needed to escape.

He needed an escape.

He needed to die he just needed to be away from it all someway somehow. But there was no escape, not with Haley's quiet voice babbling so, so loudly in his ear; not with Kim's beautiful face imprinted in his mind forever once again.

"Shut up! Shut up!" He croaked to no one in reality, his mind was shouting and shouting and yelling and screaming.

Why did he say that?

Why did he tell Scott that he, an unfit washed out mess, was his father?

He was probably calling Reese his daddy and Jack just had to go and ruin it. He pressed the icy rim of the white wine bottle to his lips again, chugging the rest of it down in a matter of seconds. He needed something stronger; he needed to leave for a little while. Haley watched from behind him, taking note of how his left hand came up every few seconds and scratched at the spot where she knew his necklace was.

Where the ring was.

"Goddamn it! Where the hell is my—"

He whipped around wildly as he stormed pass Haley, finding the scotch already perched next to his armchair. He dropped in the seat and started to shake his head slowly as he started to down the bottle—the burn down his throat taking his mind off of the burning of the ring on his bare skin.

That's when the tears started, coming down one by one.

They were like bullets in Russian roulette, you didn't know where they were you just knew they were there.

Haley felt her eyes fill with tears as well but instead stood in front of her dad, her curiously for finding out if that woman from earlier was her mom or not too great.

"Was that my mommy?"

All that came next from Jack was his enraged yell as he threw the now empty scotch bottle at her; two screams mixing together into one.


	7. Still Alive

**~Author's Note~  
Happy Sunday everybody :) I was **_**finally**_** able to get some time to myself to type this chapter up. I swear I tried to post this last night around one in the morning but I knew I wouldn't be able to and the work would've been crappy. But none the less, here is the new chapter. **

**A few things before you guys get to reading though. Some of the reviewers were mad that the last chapter was livid and gloomy. I will admit that I was a little pissed when I was writing that chapter. But still, I promise this story gets better. I love writing dark things, playing with emotions is tons of fun. Thank you all for your reviews though and just hang in there :)**

**A late Merry Christmas and Happy New Year's everyone! **

**Whoo, first update of 2015 too. **

**Read, enjoy, and review! :D**

* * *

**7**

_The days I spent so cold, so hungry,_

_Were full of hate, I was so angry_

_The scars run deep inside this tattooed body_

_There's things I'll take to my grave_

_But I'm okay_

_I'm okay._

**~Still Alive by Good Charlotte~**

The house was eerily silent when Kim walked through the door the next morning, a sleeping Scott perched in her arms.

She skillfully was able to balance him in her arms as she locked the door again behind her, sighing heavily when her eyes landed on the mess of papers and glass that meant her eyes when she entered the room.

"Damn it Reese," The words came out in a disgusted mutter, quiet enough as not to wake Scott. She ran her hand through his hair, flattening down the crazy curls only momentary—as they popped up again seconds later, crazier than before.

That's when her eyes locked on a note resting beaten on the floor in front of her. She carefully stepped over it to place Scott on the couch a few feet in front of her, gently moving a pillow under his head before moving back towards the note and picking it up.

Her heart dropped at the messy scrawl on the parchment, indicating instantly that it was Reese who had left the message.

She read it carefully and after she finished, a part of her was relieved. While another part of her stayed pissed, pure ire at his calm matter throughout his words. She wanted him to feel the pain she was currently feeling—the anger and confusion that plagued her like an incurable sickness.

Kim was lost with how to deal with Jack, she wasn't too sure she could control the feelings anymore. Her life she had to hide and bury everything in her past and here she thought she had a new, amazing future.

Kim truly thought she had finally taken care of everything and that there was nothing left to worry about.

But instead—Jack came stumbling in like a drunkard; throwing her life into a whirlpool of fucking issues.

Now her son was beleaguered with millions of questions about something every kid already knew; or at least every kid with a normal family.

Scott asked what was wrong with his father and Kim could only stare at him, clueless of any words to say. There wasn't enough words to say what she needed to say, to say what happened or how. There was a certain word that could wrap her entire life up with a bow and be delivered. So she was only able to say that she 'didn't know' and hushed him to sleep afterwards, treading home after her son fell into a deep slumber.

Kim for once in her life had no idea what to do, how to fix it. She usually had a plan, a secret way of escape but this time it seemed like she was trapped by rocks all around and slowly drowning in her own gulps of seemingly selfish air.

The sudden shrill sound of her ringtone jolted her out of her thoughts, Kim scrambling to answer the call before it woke up Scott. She crumpled up the letter and tossed it over towards the couch, the crinkling paper landing a few feet away from the couch, on top of a shattered flower plot—one of her favorite items in the house.

Her eyes were barely able to see the Caller ID before she put it up to her ear.

"Hello?"

Her eyes wandered over to Scott, exhaling happily when she found he was still soundly snoozing.

"Hey honey, I just wanted to check in on you." Kim laughed quietly, feeling the pure irony of the whole situation weight down on her gut. Unwillingly, tears pricked at her eyes.

"Everything is going just perfect mom,"

She knew her lie was broken when her voice cracked on the last word, Jean sighing heavily through the speaker. "Are you alright Kimmy?"

The blonde could feel herself unsuspectingly shaking her head, an uneasy feeling hounding her stomach. She felt like she was going to get sick, the bile creeping slowly up her throat if she said the words she wanted to.

She wanted to scream, to cry, and to die all at the same time.

The nauseas feeling stuck, growing like a tumor the more she fought with herself to get the words out.

"Kim? You still there? Tell me what's wrong honey—please." She coughed, feeling the cool slide of the tears falling down her cheeks.

"Mom," Her voice cracked again, quiet and like a defeated mutter. Jean waited, knowing her daughter was never one to show her emotions completely outright with her. "I'm scared mom, I'm scared for me. I'm _terrified_ for Scott . . . "

Jean could hear the terror behind Kim's words and fear tugged at her heart.

"Why are you scared dear? There's nothing to be scared of anymore,"

Kim chuckled, bitter and dark as the night.

"There's everything to be scared of mom. Reese isn't here to protect me, in fact I hope he's rotting in hell. Jack is back with his own little girl. Scott doesn't know what to believe and I'm just lost." Jean was silent for a moment, trying to gently figure out a solution before everything when to hell.

"Why don't you come up here for a while, give Scott and youse—"

"I'll be out of a job if I do that mom, I can't just up and leave. Scott doesn't like cold weather anyway; I doubt he would like Maine."

Jean had moved up to Maine after she couldn't stand living alone in the house anymore—with Kim's father gone it was hard for her to stare at the same old placid walls each morning. She had offered to take Kim and Scott with her but at the time Kim didn't want to leave Reese. Now, she would've been more than grateful to up and ditch.

"You need a break Kim,"

"How am I supposed to take a break mom if my whole life is falling apart?" Her voice rose and she visibly winced at Scott's fluttering eyes. "Scott's waking up, I have to go."

Kim moved to press the 'end' button with her fingers but the sharp tone in her mother's 'hold on' sentence stopped her.

"Kimmy, just so you know—you aren't loosing me, I promise."

Kim didn't dare to answer as she angrily hit the end button and slowly moved towards Scott, shushing him so he wouldn't be scared with a few words. "It's okay honey, you aren't loosing me I promise." Her words were in a quiet mutter, as her eyes darted back over to the letter.

She hated to repeat the words that Reese had tainted with his own grubby fingertips.

_Kim,_

_I want you to know that I feel sorry but at the same time I don't. In a way, my actions were justified. I know you're looking down at this letter like it's on fire—like I'm burning by the devil while I write it. But that's not it. _

_You know that I still love you Kim, more than life itself. _

_You know you can't every truly get rid of me, even if I leave for a while and come back years later. So wait for me, because after you figure out our life I'll be back again—waiting for you. I love you Kim, you aren't ever going to lose me I promise with every ounce of my being._

_I'm just leaving for a while._

_I'll be back before you know it. _

_Reese_

* * *

"Good morning Mrs. Haines, how are you today?"

Scott's teacher was a short, plump lady with red hair and a kind attitude. Her brown eyes seemed dull against the rest of her.

"Good, good! And yourself Kim?" Kim was always stunned by the teacher's chipper moods but she didn't know.

"Not too good, drama with Reese. Nothing too big though," White lies were becoming Kim's new friend these lonely days it seemed like, not like she could ever mind that.

"I'm sorry about that Kim, if you want I can hold onto Scott an extra hour after school so you can get some rest." Kim felt her face light up instantly at the older woman's words.

"Really? Oh Mrs. Haines, that would be perfect! Thank you, you can even help him out with those impossible math problems from his last quiz if you don't mind?"

Mrs. Haines shook her head, tied up hair mirroring her movements.

Kim and Leah Haines meant about a year back at a Flea Market and their friendship only grew with learning that Scott would be taking Leah's class.

"Now, now Kim—I understand we are at school but it doesn't always have to be on a last name basis." Kim laughed, feeling a weight lift off of her. She was going to be allowed to relax for a little bit.

"Sorry Leah, I just figured—"

"Nonsense," Leah's eyes glanced down at her attendance sheet and then back up at the kids running rampant in the room back and forth a few times. Kim noticed the look of concern cross Leah's features before the woman knew it herself.

"Who's missing Leah?" She glanced up at Kim, startled and then shook it off with a hearty laugh.

"Haley Clark. She hasn't missed a day since last year . . . and usually I can catch sight of her father's car leaving almost every day so it is odd."

Kim felt that feeling in her gut come back full force, that horrible—awful—feeling.

"I can go check on her if you'd like."

"You know where she lives?"

"My son told me a while ago," Kim remembered that, on their way to the Scrapyard. Scott had blabbed her ear off about every little thing about Haley. He was happy to have someone, even a sister, to look after and care for.

"Alright. Call me and let me know and be safe Kim."

Kim flashed her a mutual smile as she crossed the room, "I always am,"

She felt her car keys in her pocket and clutched them tightly, feeling as if she was about to wander into unknown territory. Which, really was the truth. She didn't know what Jack's home looked like, or what she was going to find. It could be a box on the side of the road for all she knew.

Or, a van in an abandoned alleyway.

For all she knew, he could even be a mansion.

She struggled with her mind as she headed out towards her car, confusion and battery taking hold of her.

Why was she doing this?

She didn't care for him that much anymore did she?

Or maybe it was just because she wanted to make sure Haley was safe and sound, even if she was buried under mountains of blankets in her bed with the flu.

For some reason, all Kim wanted to do was make sure the little girl was safe.

Kim found the home with little problem, her hand knocking on the hard wood instantly. But, to her surprise, the door opened from the gentle force of her knuckles and Kim couldn't help but feel as though she was walking into a crime scene.

A big whiff of beer meant her nose when she entered, softly shutting the door behind her.

Her stomach flipped from the stench, hating the smell fully from her years. She always promised herself that she would never drink, not even on her twenty first birthday. But now all those times where she didn't drink when she had the chance seemed to be getting shoved directly into her face as an aftermath.

But a new sight made her freeze.

Bottles and bottles like boulders of wine, beer and gin are all piled up next to a knocked out Jack, his chest rising and falling contently.

Kim was shocked.

She knew he enjoyed a Gin and Tonic rarely, and possibly a beer more or less but this much? It was appalling to her. But she couldn't deny the invisible force that pulled her towards him.

Her feet moved without permission towards his sleeping form, her hand reaching out to touch his right shoulder. He jerked in his sleep from the action but didn't stir, instead staying near statue-like as Kim gently moved her hand down to rest it on his bicep.

He was clad in only a thin, white tank top—some stains present towards the worn bottom. The stubble on his chin made him look older, more or less mature and dilapidated than he really was.

She felt mad that he was like this, damn near dead in his own hell.

This was the hell that haunted him and Kim knew it was one she couldn't free him of. But all of her actions halted once again when she saw the dried blood mocking her from his hands. The bright blood on the carpet below him.

She followed the trail with her eyes, turning around and seeing it go by the front door and near the stairs. The gasp didn't have time to escape her before she heard what sounded like shuffling from the upstairs section of the house.

Then a gasp that didn't come from her, followed by a poorly concealed sob.

Kim left Jack to move towards the stairs. She didn't trust Jack, to leave him alone how he was—but she had no other choice. Another sob hit her and Kim moved quicker, darting up the stairs. She ignored the hand prints of blood outlined on the peeling wallpaper on the way up as she was meant by an open door with blood on the handle.

Kim didn't hesitate as she entered the room, seeing more crimson on the bed sheets.

Her stomach lurched, never truly liking the look of blood. It was so easily concealed yet so hard to fix.

The menace haunted her ever since her dad died, she never liked the thought of something so simple to be the cause of death; yet keep everything alive all at the same time.

She carefully pulled the sheets off and was shocked at what she saw.

"Oh my God," She muttered at the sight that fell upon her irises. Haley laid there, grasping her bloodied right arm as she tried to hold in muffled sobs. Kim instantly dropped to her knees, gently pulling at the girl's arm to inspect the gash.

Kim could say she was 'over-reacting', considering Haley's gash was more like an accidental cut; nothing that couldn't be fixed with some Band-Aids and cream.

The little girl tried to pull her arm back from Kim, embarrassed at the entire situation.

Sure she was young, but she could still tell that it was pathetic that Kim of all people found her.

"D-Daddy was mad last n-night," She struggled heavily with her words, the visons of the night before still proud in her brain. Kim listened, moving up to sit next to Haley in bed.

"Why was he mad?" She kept her voice as neutral as she could, knowing it was stupid that she was even getting screwed up with all of the same shit once again.

"I-I don't really know, we just came home and h-he started to rip everything part. He was shouting stuff about you and Scott and my mommy."

Kim felt a pang in her heart. She had no idea who Haley's mother was but she didn't know to feel bad or be pissed at that woman for leaving Haley alone with a disabled Jack. He seemed to the opposite of disabled, but it was more mental than physical.

"It's all going to be alright sweetie, okay?" Haley nodded and Kim moved onto the next important subject, "How did you get this cut?"

"H-He threw one of his bottles at the wall and I was too close—a piece of the glass got my arm." Kim sighed, trying to think of a good reasoning to all of this. Jack was mad, but did he really have a right to 'harm' his daughter?

An abrupt thought struck her, "Gather your stuff Hale, you are going to come over to my house for a little bit okay?"

Haley nodded her head without any thought, moving towards her closet to throw her backpack together. Kim pulled out a spare Band-Aid from the first aid kit located by the door, surprised Haley had one in her room. She was a smart girl. "Come here Haley, let me bandage that up," Haley finished packing her backpack and moved towards Kim, sighing.

The tears were still fresh in the young girl's eyes.

"Kimmy?" Kim straightened, shocked at the use of her name.

She took a sharp inhale.

"Yeah?" Haley's eyes darted around the room, jumbled—misplaced.

"Are you my mommy?" Kim shook her head, feeling overwhelmed. Her gut fell to her knees and her heart was heavy against her lungs; was her heart even near her lungs?

She didn't know what to say so she simply went with something that would calm the girl.

"I wish I was Haley, I wish I was."

But, Kim would've been lying if she said that sentence wasn't even partly true.

A part of Kim was still reeling from everything as she walked slowly back down the stairs with a frightened Haley in tow behind her, Kim was sure that if the little girl held her hand any tighter her veins were going to explode. Jack was still passed out on the couch, his deep snores filling the room like a huge giant's footsteps.

"Go wait out at my car Haley, I just have to do something real quick," The girl obeyed with a swift nod as she carefully headed towards the door, Kim moving towards what she assumed was the kitchen. She was able to find a small notepad and black ink pen in no time to leave a note for Jack, when or if, he ever woke up.

She knew her words sounded rushed and her handwriting was sloppier than usual when she finished writing. But a part of her wanted Jack to feel worry and pain when he woke up and saw the note and had no idea where his daughter was. Another tiny silver of her disagreed but it was too late now.

The door slammed behind Kim as she walked out the door, note barren on top of Jack's knee. Kim didn't bother leaving her name at the bottom, figuring her words were pointed in enough direction.

_Jack,_

_Haley is safe with me. It's funny, I thought that after one failed relationship, one failed marriage actually, you would have stopped trying. Apparently those words were never in your dictionary. _

_How many sluts did you nail Jack, before your luck ran out? _

_Or was Haley an actual try at something better than what we had? _


	8. Angie

**~Author's Note~**

**Hey guys, happy Saturday. Sorry for the wait, life has been really sucky for me the past five weeks. God, like I can't catch a break. But I was able to get some time to myself and type up this chapter today. **

**There's some 'I love you's' in this chapter; who says what though you won't know until you read, along with a badass, killer (no pun intended) cliffhanger . . . **

**Huge shout out to **_**optimistic girl94 **_**: I swear your reviews and kindness you always show are awesome. Thank you so much. **

_**ELOVATE**_** and **_**TMNH48 **_**: You guys basically had the same question of 'when will Jack get fixed and Kim and he get back together' . . . well this chapter is a start to many of those things. Jack, well, he becomes someone we all know and love once again ;)**

**Thank you for all of the wonderful reviews, and this chapter is kind of a gift for you guys. I extended the length because you guys deserve it. Read, enjoy and review :D**

* * *

**8**

_But Angie, Angie, you can't say we never tried_

_Angie, you're beautiful, but ain't it time we said good-bye?_

_Angie, I still love you, remember all those nights we cried?_

_All the dreams we held so close seemed to all go up in smoke_

_Let me whisper in your ear_

**~Angie by The Rolling Stones~**

Leah was shocked to see Kim come back to school with a blubbering Haley, who was making no sense with her words. "Kim!" Her questioning voice was tainted by a curiosity, "What happened?" Leah wiped her hands on her pants, getting rid of any invisible sweat that choose to stick to her slim fingers.

Kim couldn't help the laugh that bounded out of her, echoing around the near empty classroom. Scott stopped playing with the colorful markers surrounding him on his desk to look up at the sudden commotion.

"I found him Leah, he was passed out on his couch—door unlocked and Haley bleeding upstairs." There was a tight, bitter tone to her words and Leah finally took a good look at Haley; instantly noticing the poorly wrapped cut on her arm.

The older woman crouched down and went to reach for Haley's arm but the young girl jumped backwards, directly into Kim's leg. Kim glanced down and wrapped an arm around Haley's shoulders, signaling to her that the action was okay.

Scott stood up slowly and started to approach his mother, uncertainty in his steps.

The blonde sighed and rubbed Haley's shoulder, speaking again with her voice quieter than before. "It's alright Haley, Mrs. Haines is going to wrap your arm better than I did." Kim could tell that the amount of people Haley trusted was dwindling, slowly but surely.

She could also tell the little girl was beyond lost, it must've been hell for her own father to turn on her and do something so rancid, so disgusting.

Haley took Kim's words to heart and allowed Leah to approach her again, the older woman taking her arm gingery and unwrapping the band aids. All the while Kim watched with a careful eye, as Leah sent her a hidden glare for calling her by her last name.

Scott was close enough to his mother to tug on her hand, gaining her attention promptly. "What's the matter honey?" Her voice was soft now, gentle as she picked Scott up and held him tightly in her arms.

"What happened mommy?"

Kim exhaled and looked towards Haley, who was trying her best to stop wincing away from Leah's gentle prodding and poking. She smoothed down Scott's hair, feeling suddenly comical at the curls that popped back up afterwards.

Even if her life was going to hell, she was damn glad to have her family behind her.

Even if family was just Scott and Scott only.

"You remember Haley's dad, don't you Scott?" Her voice came out more wobbly than she wanted it to and Scott noticed the uncertainty behind it. He nodded his head, confused deeply on the inside.

He knew his mom was supposed to be strong all the time, but at the same time everyone has their limits—don't they?

"Yeah, he was scary," Scott mulled, thinking hard about what the man had said about being his daddy. Kim felt a pain at her heart, sure she had called Jack a monster in sorts multiple times on different occasions; but she didn't realize that would leak down to Scott too. She believed she had made sure to only mutter her thoughts to herself, away from Scott and his prying ears.

Maybe he had overheard her one of the times when she was too wrapped up in her own thoughts to fully focus on him.

Maybe the worst happened and Jack told him about it, Kim didn't know how that would happen but at the same time anything was stupidly possible in these fleeing moments.

Life fucking sucked, and Kim knew there was no damn way around that but she also knew that trying anything like running away wouldn't solve it either; even if that's what she wanted to do with all of her heart.

"Mommy?" Scott's voice was like a light in the dark when he talked, snapping Kim back to the present in moments.

Kim cleared her throat, trying to rid herself of the dense bile that was slowly worming its way up her throat, scratching and clawing it's way to the top. Her mind was just running damn wild now, twisting and turning and yanking in millions of different ways.

"W-Well he was mean to Haley and we have to take care of her for a little bit okay? You think you can help me out with that buddy?" Scott nodded, reaching over and tugging at his mother's hand. Kim let it hang loose at his request as he gripped it tightly, his tiny thumb rubbing across her ring finger and the cold metal that sat there.

Kim was far too lazy, too uninspired to ever take the ring off and a part of her wouldn't allow her to fully let go of that part of her past. It was just another remember but she felt bare and naked without that damn ring; even if she hated to admit it.

Right now a new surge of anger went through her, pushing her to want to throw the ring across damn hell if she could—to throw it and never see it again.

Scott was able to sense his mother's pain, even if it wasn't visible besides the repulsion hanging off her lips.

Scott continued to play with the ring, his fingers ghosting over the selfish material. It was cold and empty and made him feel like he was nothing but at the same time it brought him unrequited peace. Being close to the ring was like a sense of him actually knowing his father and who he was and what his knacks were.

He was shocked when his mother jerked her hand backwards suddenly, startling Scott enough to nearly drop his toddler body onto the ground. Leah and Haley flinched at the sudden movement from below, looking up at Kim with confusion-riddled faces.

Leah decided to break the silence as Kim carefully yet shakily placed Scott on the ground.

He scampered off towards the markers left unnoticed over at the other tables and started to finish his drawling. "Kim," Leah treated her words carefully, like as if Kim was a fragile piece of china that could be destroyed any moment. "What's the matter? I know it's a crazy Friday but . . . "

Leah allowed her words to trail off after a moment.

Kim felt as if her world was crumbling as the tears pricked at her eyelids, like hot white stabs of pain to bring her unstoppable agony.

She didn't want to cry.

She didn't want to cry for him, for Scott, for Haley; she didn't want to shed a damn tear on any of them. She knew it was a waste of time and breakdowns weren't on her list; she barely had time to breath on her own without help. But her heart at that very moment, that very second—it felt like as if it had been ripped in half.

Torn and battered, ripped into a million pieces even.

The pain was great and annoying and undesirable.

But she didn't know how to stop it, or why. She just wanted to breakdown. So that's what she did, falling to her knees and allowing the horrible, wailing sobs escape from her body and wrap themselves on whoever was in her radius, which happened to be the kids and Leah.

Leah hushed the kids and pushed Haley towards her secluded office, trying to usher them away from the broken adult. Her whispers were only half heard by Haley and Scott as she guided them towards the lonely office; telling them to stay in there until she came back to grab them.

Scott was awkward now, with a nearly crying Haley placed next to him as the only other human being in the room. Haley had some tear trails on her cheeks, a carefully placed band aid on her arm. Scarce sniffles were escaping from the young girl every few seconds and Scott racked his brain for something to do.

What did the adults do when one of their own was crying?

What did his mom do when he had a scrape on his knee from tripping over one of his own toys?

Without a second thought, Scott shuffled towards Haley and tapped her shoulder, the girl looking up at him with glassy eyes. Scott shrugged and opened his arms, as a signal for her to come and get a 'free' hug of some sorts.

A beat passed as Haley eyed Scott wearily, until she couldn't take being alone anymore and accepted his hug. Scott wrapped his arms around the other child sloppily, his fingers accidently got tangled in her long hair. She winced and Scott went to move back and run to the corner but Haley didn't allow it and rested her head on his shoulder.

After a few moments, they pulled away from the friendly hug; Haley laughing softly at the purple marker smudged on Scott's face.

Soon after, both children were in fits of strangled laughter, neither one wanting to go back to the current situation they were stuck in. Haley laughed harder when Scott started to chase her around the room, intent on tackling her to the ground for her 'mean-butt laughter'.

* * *

Jack woke up with a pounding headache and a pain in his hand, groaning quietly. He head the faint buzz of a cell phone, seemingly far away but in reality only sitting on the arm of the chair next to him.

He opened his eyes and winced at the bright light soaring in from the window, feeling oddly like a vampire who had been in slumber for a good thousand years.

He urged himself to glance down at his hand, muttering some bland curses when he saw the jagged cut that stretched from his thumb to his pinkly on his palm.

His phone vibrated again, Jack feeling the movement on his inner forearm.

He groaned again, moving slightly to reach over and pick it up. He got a grasp on the cool metal, only for it to slip through his fingers and tumble to the ground seconds afterwards.

"Fuck," He grumbled, finally sitting up fully to rub his face with his hands. The beard that had started to grow on his chin wasn't a full on beard—it only covered his chin and pushed lightly out right and left; he only really kept it because Donna said the unprepared look was 'sexy' on him.

He felt a push at his temple, like a nail was being jabbed into his brain just as another thought about Donna entered his mind.

He stood up, shaky on his legs at first but able to stay standing after a minute of wobbling.

"Fuck hangovers, fuck life, damn Donna for probably doing something stupid and convincing me to get drunk in the first place . . ."

He didn't see the piece of paper that fell to the floor after his movements, instead starting towards the bathroom to grab some Advil, cell phone temperately forgotten. His memories were vague surrounding the night before, but Jack figured it was at least a good thing that he was dressed, abet a bit messily.

He didn't need another kid.

He knew from past times he had some pretty awkward situations where he would have to track down one of his one night stands and ask the girl if he had used something. That method had only got him slapped about three times, so far a record.

Jack stumbled into the bathroom, carefully pulling open the mirror to reveal about five pill bottles staring back at him. He tried to keep the pills he kept in the house to a minimum; in case his drunken self-decided to go snooping one time. Tums, Pepcid, two bottles of painkillers and Advil. He clumsily reached for the bottle of Advil and popped two pills out, bringing them to his lips.

By the time he was done showering, his headache was lowered to a dull thumping and his body felt like it had been victim to a fatal spike strip to the back. He walked back out to the living room clad in black sweatpants, his upper half bare. A red fox shirt hung from his shoulder.

The necklace stayed in it's spot around his neck, bouncing with his every effort.

He heard the buzz of his phone once more and he rolled his eyes, bending down to pick it up. Jack put it up to his ear, swiping the 'accept' button over beforehand.

"Haley! Time to get up! C'mon it's Saturday! We need to clean up!" He was able to raise his voice before the person on the other end of the phone answered, just so he didn't shatter their eardrums.

"Now you call?" Jack smirked at Donna's voice, the tone behind her words was filled with snappiness.

"Damn was I that fast last night? Piss you off a little did I?" He wasn't able to see the confused face Donna held on the other end of the line, as she sat up in bed.

"What are you talking about Jack? Fuck another girl in my place last night and confuse her with me by any chance?" Jack was the one to grow puzzled now, scratching the back of his neck and moving towards his bedroom.

He passed the clock that hung on the wall next to the door, seeing the time was around five at night. "Didn't you come over last night?" He lowered his voice, not wanting Haley to overhear his conversation, in case sensitive topics became apparent.

Donna sighed, looking down at her manicured fingernails. "I stopped by last night and knocked but you didn't answer. Tried calling twice last night and twice this morning too. You still didn't fucking answer,"

Jack felt his head spin when he made it to his bedroom doorway to see his bed already made, like he hadn't slept in it at all the night before. He placed his hand to his forehead, closing his eyes and exhaling loudly.

"So you didn't come over, at all." His voice was deadpanned, tired and annoying all at once.

"No you idoit, I didn't. Hungover much?"

Jack cursed loudly, Donna moving her phone away from her ear. "I have no memory of last night and I just figured we did some stuff involving some beer—Haley! Wake up!"

He sparred a glance at the stairs before moving back over towards his chair, holding the phone with his shoulder so he could throw his shirt on.

"Well you must've gone to a bar. I wasn't over there at all."

"Well then where the fuck is the sitter for Haley because I never leave her home alone when I do that . . ."

His sentence trailed off when he saw a note sitting on the floor, pausing to pick it up and read it. Donna snorted on the other end, a laugh in her tone as Jack read the note.

"Well apparently you were too drunk to remember anything so maybe you banged the sitter—"

"Shut up for a minute Donna, I think Kim kidnapped my fucking kid."

Donna went silent on the other end as Jack moved towards the stairs, grimacing at the blood and broken metal dotting the floor and staircase. "Haley! Haley?" His kept his voice neutral, Donna listening carefully.

All Donna heard moments after Jack reached Haley's room was the rumble of his deep voice belting out curses before the click of the phone.

Kim was busy frying some chicken in the kitchen when she heard the doorbell. She quickly set everything down and turned the dials down so her food wouldn't burn before darting towards the door, not wanting the person to ring it again and wake up the kids napping on the couch.

She didn't bother to glance out the window before pulling open the door, muttering unknown words under her breath.

"The kids are sleeping so—"

She stopped midway when she saw Jack standing there, her note furiously clutched in his fist. "What the hell Kim, kidnapping my fucking kid?" His voice was like a hiss from a snake, not wanting Haley to hear what he was going to say.

Kim placed her hands on her hips before answering, "You should be grateful that I had enough sense to check in on her! She was bleeding because of you,"

Jack was fighting with his emotions, not sure if he was more pissed off or worried about what had happened. "Bleeding because of me? I wouldn't—"

"You were passed out on the damn couch when I walked in from the _unlocked _front door, and blood was everywhere. I followed the trail to see Haley curled up in her room, clutching a gash on her arm!"

Kim fumed, stepping outside and closing the door so it was barely ajar.

Jack took a step back, trying his best to make sure his figure was still towering over Kim. "So what, I was drunk! What do you want me to do? Stumble around and make things worse?"

"Not drink! How about that one Jack! You have to drop _everything _if you like it or not to take care of kids! I learned the hard way, you would think you would've had enough common sense to not have another one!" Jack moved so he was close to Kim's face, his warm breath hitting her face in angry puffs.

"You think having Haley was my choice Kim?" His voice had gone very low, making the growl in his tone to sound husky. Kim would be a lair if she didn't say it sent unneeded shivers up her spine.

Kim looked at him, the same ire in her eyes. "I do, I think you did it out of ire or jealously or something along those lines!"

Jack scoffed, admitting to a chuckle.

"It's always about _you_. Maybe that's why I left, you cared too much about yourself! Look at you, trying to throw the conversation back your way!"

"Or maybe I was too busy raising our kid to pay attention to you! I can't do sixteen different things at once Jack!"

"Haley wasn't my choice Kim! Don't you understand that? I was dumped with her and maybe if you would stop talking about yourself for more than two minutes you could hear me say that."

Kim looked at Jack for a long second, a part of him wanting to scurry away under her gaze. "What in the hell do you want Jack? What the hell do you want? All this time, all this damn time you've been after something and I have no damn idea what it is."

He finally took two steps back from her, throwing his hands up with a loud shout. He twirled around once before looked back at Kim dead in the eye.

"I don't want to grow up! Okay? I don't want to fucking grow up!"

Kim just stared at him, not understanding until then how true he was to his barren appearance.

Uncaring, unwilling.

"That's the most pathetic excuse I've heard in a while. You don't want to grow up from being that 'bad boy' in damn high school Jack? Too damn bad. You can't be a rebellious kid forever. You don't see me still living in my 'goddamn glory days' of high school. Oh wait, maybe that's because that's when my damn dad left. Maybe that's why it hurts me so much that you left Scott!"

Jack yanked at the hair on top of his head, the ring on his necklace burning again.

"Your dad didn't leave, he died. Stop playing it off as something else. My dad went fucking crazy—"

"Like you?"

Kim didn't allow him to finish, crossing her arm and leaning back against the doorframe.

Jack gawked at her, truly dumb folded.

Kim had finally said what she needed to and it caused Jack's heart to thrash in pain, thrash around in so many different rejected directions. Kim wanted to feel bad at what her words had done to him, causing that heartbroken look to cross his face and the rest of his body to sag; like she had just shot him.

"Daddy?" Haley's tiny voice jolted both adults out of stupor, Jack's eyes lighting up with a new look.

Kim remembered that look from their time together.

It was a look she knew all too well.

Relief.

Kim moved out of the way for Haley to be able to jog towards Jack, the man meeting her hallway and tugging her into his arms; pulling her close to his body. "Haley, Haley I'm so sorry. Baby I'm so so sorry."

Haley started to cry into her father's shoulder, Jack picking her up with him as he straightened his body out to a standing position. Kim felt her eyes grow glassy at the exchange, only hearing Jack's deep voice mutter the words 'I'm sorry' over and over.

After a few more moment of that, Haley moved her face from her father's shoulder, reaching her had around to rest it on his cheek.

Kim saw the look in Jack's watering eyes and nearly lost it, seeing how he seemed to change back for the better before her very eyes.

"Daddy," It was Haley's voice, nearly a whisper among the faint wind surrounding the three but Kim heard it. "You don't have to be sorry anymore daddy. I know everyone makes mistakes before he turn into superheroes."

Jack laughed, his laugh hallow and broken with emotion. "From the stories, you remembered baby?" Haley nodded happily, Jack grabbing her hand and bringing it to his lips for a soft kiss.

Next his kissed her forehead, overjoyed that he had told her so many bullshit stories about superheroes, back when he cared, and back when she was younger.

"Damn it, I love you Haley. I do. I'm sorry. I'm so goddamn sorry baby girl."

Haley just smiled a toothy grin, grabbing the top of his shirt to hold on as he started moving back towards Kim's house.

"You're a superhero now daddy, that's all that matters. I love you too." Jack lifted her up and twirled her around a few times before reaching Kim by the doorway, setting Haley down on the ground and telling her to go inside and wake up Scott for dinner.

Kim on the other hand was still lost in thought, her mind back in time to when Jack would do such loving motions to her.

He was back to how he used to be, before all the unneeded shit occurred.

"Kim?"

A feather light touch on Kim's shoulder shook her out of her memories as she looked up into Jack's now warm eyes. Damn, did she miss that warm feeling she would get every time she looked into his eyes. "I'm sorry Kim. I know it's a shitty apology but I swear I'm sorry. For tonight, for everything." Kim just nodded, Jack smiling and moving to pull her into a hug.

Kim gasped at the sudden warm feeling that engulfed her, the reassuring feeling of his bulky arms around her. It was new yet old at the same time.

She felt safe.

She felt like she belonged.

His breath was next to her ear and he felt her body grow less stiff as the moments passed and she allowed herself to feel at peace in his arms.

Jack knew he was feeling the same feeling as her.

The feeling of being loved once again.

He pulled away after a little while, his arms still gripping onto her boney shoulders. "I guess you're an honorary superhero now Jack. Nice job,"

He laughed, it was music to her ears.

"I guess so Kimmy. Now come on, finish up dinner. I'm starved." Kim playfully punched him as they went to head inside and followed behind him, inhaling his laughter like the air she breathed.

Damn she missed him.

She knew they still had a long way to go and he still had to forgive her in a lot of different ways, but for now—she was okay.

Okay is fine, okay is always fine.

* * *

Dinner was eaten like a family and everyone had gone to bed happily, Kim the most excited out of all of them. Jack didn't really talk to Scott, but his jokes were cheesier than hell.

Jack and Haley had passed out in each other's arms on the couch, Kim chuckling before tossing a blanket over the two and moving upstairs to see Scott in a deep slumber in his room.

The smile on her face seemed like it would last forever as she fell into her own bedroom; deep into an undisturbed sleep.

That peace was disturbed by the sudden smell of smoke and the shrill ring of a smoke alarm as the kitchen erupted into flames, just as the living room clock struck three in the morning.


	9. Suddenly

**~Author's Note~**

**I want to say sorry for the cliffhanger but then again . . . xD You guys know me by now. You know I just can't help it. So I have the long-awaited continuation of the cliffy and I hope it doesn't disappoint. **

**A few things before the chapter though—for those of you who don't know, I posted a new 'story'. It really isn't a story, more of a Kickin' It One Shot Series. Feel free to check it out if you would like to, but warning; the first one shot is dark. It's called **_Relapse, Refill and Recovery_** :)**

**I also have ideas on another full story after Night Light wraps up (the final chapter so far for this is fifteen I believe) so anyone have any thoughts on that? Am I stupid for wanting to or will you guys read this new idea that's plaguing me? **

***To the Guest Reviewer **Evan Roberts**: Thank you for your detailed review. I'm glad you have put that much thought into my story, it means a ton. Thanks for reading. No guarantee all of what you mentioned will be in here or anything but some of your ideas were pretty intriguing. :) You never know what is to come for this story though . . .**

**Alright I'm done talking I promise. Read, enjoy and review guys.**

* * *

**9**

_And this house of cards came tumbling down_

_Just scattered hearts and broken pieces_

_No hand to hold, no consolation_

_And suddenly,_

**~Suddenly by The Madden Brothers**~

The smell of fire was secretly intoxicating.

It lured you in like as if you were tangled in a rope, slowly tugging you towards the mix of colors.

Dangerous, persistent. But striking—stunning even, all the same. It even acted as a figure for dreams to roam around in.

As the black smoke slowly started to fill in around the kitchen, inching towards where Jack and Haley where asleep in the living room.

Kim and Scott still lay snoozing upstairs as Jack's current dream took an uninviting turn.

_He was sitting at the dinner table, Haley across from him and Kim next to him. Haley had a full plate, with some hamburger and mashed potatoes. No gravy, she hated gravy—Jack assumed she got that from her mother because gravy was one of the things he could never live without._

_She was pushing her green beans around the plate, trying to avoid eating them completely. _

"_Haley," His voice broke the silence in a warning tone. _

_She glanced up at her father, with eyes that weren't her own. God how Jack wished she could've had Kim's eyes. He would never be able to stop staring. _

_Sometimes Jack would pity himself for no reason, about how stupid he was to not see the true intentions of Haley's mother. She just wanted to rope him in with a kid, and she did exactly that._

_It just didn't work out how she planned—instead of them being 'forever together' Jack gained custody of his daughter and hoped he never had to see the mother's malicious face again. _

"_Daddy I don't like green beans. You aren't eating yours, so why do I have to eat mine?" _

_Kim chuckled quietly next to him, rolling her eyes. "She has a valid point Jack. Why are you being a hypocrite?" _

_Jack sent Kim a sideways glare as she lifted some mashed potatoes to her lips. _

"_Why are you agreeing with Haley Kimmy? I was sure that if I didn't say something about it, you probably would have." Haley took a bite of her hamburger, laughing at something nonexistent. The man looked at his daughter, confusion on his face. _

"_Baby, what are you laughing at?" _

_She looked at her father, a smile highlighting her features. "Scott just made a funny knock-knock joke daddy. Didn't you hear it?"_

_Jack felt his heart contract as he looked around the table in a panic. Scott was nowhere to be seen in the harsh white room they were seated in. "Jack, are you alright?" Kim's hand came to rest on his shoulder and he jumped—looking to Kim for some answers. _

_She could see him fidgeting, "Kim . . . I-I can't see Scott."_

_She laughed, looking directly at the empty chair sitting across from her. "Jack's funny, isn't he Scott?" _

_Dread settled in Jack's stomach. _

_All he could see was an empty chair. _

"_Kim I-I can't s-see him!" His voice grew frightened as he continued to stare at the seat, horrible thoughts filling his brain. _

"_Stop acting so silly Jack, Scott is right there." She pointed and again all Jack could see was the empty seat. Haley giggled again, her voice like a repeating tone of a bell. _

"_K-Kim he isn't there. He isn't fucking there. Is this some type of damn joke because I don't think this is funny!" His voice rose and Kim flinched, eyeing Haley who was watching the two with baited eyes. _

"_Joke? Jack what's going on? Why are you acting so strange?" _

_Jack looked wild as he ran a hand through his hair, "I can't fucking see my kid and you are over here acting like it's a big joke. Is Scott there or not?" He didn't mean to yell but his voice just came out that way. _

_Suddenly, a scream sounded from his right—Kim's. _

_Puzzled, Jack looked back to where Kim was sitting next to him moments before to see her body gone. Haley was still sitting there, but when Jack looked at her blood was leaking from her mouth. _

"_Haley!" _

_Laughter surrounded him, as he glimpsed in the direction of where Kim's screams were coming from to the right and nearly screamed himself at what he saw. A knife was perched at her throat and his voice seemed lost in his mouth, unable to get a word out. _

"_Jack! God, Jack!" Her mouth was moving and her voice was echoing all around him. "Save Scott Jack! Get the kids and run! Please, just leave me and save them!" _

_Scott yelped from behind him, Haley chanting her father's name. _

_The next thing Jack knew, Kim was dead on the floor—knife to her chest. _

"_Kim!" His scream was desperate for the dead as he had just enough time to turn and see both of his kids fall to the floor, lifeless irises blankly gawking back at—_

"Kim!" Jack jumped, his body rolling off the couch and hitting the floor with a punitive thump. Sweat covered his forehead as he wiped his eyes, looking around the room.

A dank smell smacked his nose and he coughed, scrambling to his feet when he saw the wall of fire approaching him.

He had just enough time to gasp before a piece of wood fell in front of him and he barely dodged out of the way.

"Holy shit," He breathed as he looked around frenziedly.

"Daddy?" Haley's cry from the couch jolted him out of his shock as he rushed over and gathered the girl in his arms, pulling her towards the front door.

"It's okay baby, just hold on to me. I'm going to get you out of here." His mind was screaming, begging for him to go and find Kim and Scott but he knew he could only deal with one situation at once and he needed to take care of his daughter first.

"Jack!" A stifled shout came from upstairs and he paused in the unblocked doorway to listen. Haley buried her head deeper into his ash-soaked shirt as they listened, hearts pounding.

"Kim? Kimmy!"

All that answered him was the crackle of the wood, the flames roaring strongly in his ears. He coughed and wiped his nose on his sleeve as he went to go out the door, freezing when he heard her voice.

"Jack! Jack I don't have Scott!" Her voice was as panicked as he felt and he could only mutter a curse as he rushed outside the home, placing Haley on the wet grass a few yards away. He looked back at the house and felt his stomach drop, seeing the fire wrapping around the sides of the house and inching towards the second floor.

The left side was covered.

The left side was where Kim's room was.

"For fuck's sake," He whispered as he went to run back inside; but Haley still clutched onto his shirt tightly. He turned and looked at his daughter, seeing the tears damp in her orbs.

"Daddy, don't leave!" Her voice was tiny and scared—she didn't know what was going on, all she knew was the danger she felt.

The sirens closing in around them were mute to Jack's ears and he gently pried himself from Haley's grip.

"It's okay baby, it's gonna be okay. I have to go save Kimmy. I have to go save her,"

"Daddy no," Her sobs were short and heavy, there was a flash of yellow and red to his right.

Sirens to his left.

Voices.

Screams.

"I love you baby, I do. I'll be right back Haley. I'll be right back. I promise." He repeated himself to calm his hysterical veins, knowing it was selfish for him to be so scared when Haley and Scott were still trapped inside.

Haley's grip slacked just enough for Jack to send her a smile and turn towards the house. Haley wrapped herself into a little ball as her father disappeared back into the burning house, crying loudly.

Jack entered the house, the bright flames everywhere. He headed towards where he thought the stairs were, only to see a tiny opening. "Kim!"

Her answer was instant. "Jack! Jack do you have Scott?"

Jack gazed at the fire in front of him with fear, before quickly ripping his sleeve off and wrapping his right hand with it. "I'm getting him Kim! I promise, are you okay?" His voice cracked hallway through his shout and he cursed himself.

He shoved the burning debris out of the way, hearing it crash over the railing of the stairs. He created a clear spot in the stairs so he could go upstairs, hearing water hit the house from outside. Jack knew that would only destroy the fire on the outside, leaving the inside still victim to sweltering temps. He gagged on the smoke, feeling light-headed as he made it upstairs and into Kim's room.

Her bed was blocked by a smoking piece of wood and he felt the bile rise in his throat at the overwhelming smell of ash.

"K-Kim?" He called, going to move the wood but stopping as a coughing fit took over.

"Jack go get Scott! I'm fine! Go get my baby boy, please!"

"K-Kim I can't l-leave you here. I won't be a-able to come back and get you."

A loud smash came from the right and Jack shouted in pain when a piece of glass smacked him in the forearm. He looked down and yanked the piece out of his arm, before turning back to the mess in front of him and hacking loudly again. The window to the right of him was broken, wind heavily flowing in from outside—causing the flames to escalate.

"I'll be fine Jack! Push your goddamn hero complex aside for five minutes! Go save our baby boy, please!" Her words weren't tainted by a hate, just a type of petty tiredness.

Jack didn't know what Kim's words did to him but against his better judgment he obeyed and headed out of the room, making his way down the hall. He could see the door to Scott's room, hear the snap of the home's foundation start to crack; the whispers of yells and shouts outside from the firefighters.

Thank God Kim had neighbors who could at least care to call nine-one-one before the entire house burnt down. "Scott!"

Another crack.

Another inch closer to Scott's room.

Another shriek from the fervor of flames.

"Jack?" His boy's voice was tiny and scared and Jack nearly fell over from relief.

He choked on his own breath before he could answer, more smoke entering his lungs. He knew it wasn't good for him, he knew that during a fire you were supposed to stay low to the ground to avoid inhaling too much smoke. But it was his family's life on the line here.

He had to make sure everyone was okay.

"Scott! Are you okay?" His voice was hoarse from the air slowly leaking out of his lungs from too much smolder around him and he felt like he was going to pass out at any moment. But he couldn't, he needed to save his family.

"Help!" Scott's voice was cut off by a loud bang as a window exploded somewhere in the house.

The heat was too much.

Jack's heart sped up as he rushed into Scott's room, finding the doorway unblocked. All was silent for a moment as he looked around the bare room, praying Scott was killed by the explosion from the window or whatever window it was that broke.

"Oh God no, please . . ." his voice was a whimper as he muttered his thoughts to himself, looking around for Scott.

"Dad?"

That's when Jack saw him, curled under his bed in a little ball. Jack ran to him, crouching down and holding out his arms. "Come on son, come on!" Scott quickly unfolded his body and moved out from underneath the bed, just as Jack heard the sound of boots on the stairs.

The firefighters could save Kim, she would be safe.

Jack hauled Scott into his arms, the boy rubbing his face against Jack's shoulder. Jack placed a soft hand over his head as he stood up and went towards the door.

"K-Keep your head down so you don't inhale any of the smoke. I'm gonna get you out of here alright?"

"Dad, what about mommy?"

Jack made it to the stairs and saw a fireman looking directly at him, ushering them down the stairs. Jack stopped and turned to the fireman, looking him dead in the eye.

"Kim, she's in that f-first room." The older man nodded and turned, giving Jack a light shove towards the stairs before heading into the master bedroom where Kim was.

Jack breathed a sigh of relief as he made it to the front door, but the fire had different plans.

A piece of wood smashed down behind Jack, catching his sleeveless arm. He screamed as he fell forward, aligning his body so that his side took the pain of the fall instead of Scott. His face hit the dirt as firefighters and Haley instantly filled in around him, patting down his arm and pulling the two away from the fire.

He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to rid himself of the pain without actually doing anything. Jack tried to croak out a plea about Kim but he couldn't speak because of the burning pain in his arm. The voices of Scott and Haley intermixed with the firefighters' as he felt a sudden cool relief on his arm, nulling the burning.

He let out an exhale of relief before opening his eyes and seeing both of his children hovering above him.

Haley jumped on him in a hug, Scott clutching his hand in his hold as he buried his face back in his shoulder. Jack could feel the tears of both and his own staining his cheeks as he hugged them both tight in his arms. "Are you two okay?"

It hurt to talk and the weight from his two kids was excruciating on his chest but he didn't care, all he wanted was them to be safe.

"We're safe daddy, thanks to you." Haley mumbled, moving her head to face him. Jack gave her the happiest smile he could muster at the moment, pressing a soft kiss to her ash-stained forehead. Then he moved to Scott, giving him a kiss on his hairline.

"I love you two. I love you two so much." His voice cracked again and he flinched from the pain in his chest, sitting up slowly and bringing the two with him. They stayed locked around his torso, not planning on letting go.

Jack stared at the burning building, the main door still barricaded by a flaming piece of wood.

His heart fell.

Kim.

"Shit. No. No! Kim!"

He quickly stood up against all of the discomfort moving through his body, bringing the two kids with him as he stared at the house. "Kim! Kimmy!" He could feel the heat from where he was standing and his hope slowly started to dwindle.

That firefighter that he told to save her on the stairs was nowhere to be found either and there was a churning in his stomach.

He lost her.

She was gone.

"Fuck, fuck. Fuck!" He screamed, looking at the house and feeling the tears in his eyes, feeling them fall down his cheeks. Haley winced at his speech, staring at her stained hands.

"I got her!" A man's muffled voice came from the home and five firefighters barreled over to the front door, hastily moving the rubble out of the way for the man to emerge with Kim in his arms.

Jack was in shock and only able to move until Kim was near him, slowly dropping the kids to the ground to take Kim from the man's arms and into his own.

Her eyes fluttered open at his touch and she coughed heavily. "J-Jack?"

"I'm here Kimmy, it's alright. You're safe." He pulled her close to him, her head falling into his neck. He held her tight, ignoring the voices of the firefighters around them protesting that the two needed to get checked out at a hospital.

The burning house behind them slowly clammed, the melting wood falling over each other one last time before the fire was officially put out. Kim felt a sob escape her as she gasped, reaching up and wrapping her arms around his neck to pull him as close as humanly possible to her body.

He chuckled, rubbing her back and ignoring the dull throbbing over his burning arm. "You're okay Kim," He sighed, laughing gently to try and quiet both of their anxieties.

She huffed with a hyperactive scoff, wanting to smack him for being so relaxed.

Her lips were close enough to his ear so that she could whisper, "God Jack, you're a smartass."

He pulled back so that he could look into her eyes, smiling. "I'm a smartass? You sure that isn't you?"

Jack rolled his eyes, "We just nearly died Kim and you want to crack jokes at a time like this?"

It took her a moment to answer, her orbs searching his for something to hold onto. A part of her wanted to mutter the same words she did that day in the Scrapyard, back when they were in high school; creating bliss when so much havoc happened.

She mentally slapped herself, screamed at herself for thinking of such stupid things. She wasn't allowed to think that way—not when she had to worry about far more important things that wouldn't end up hurting her in the end. Like Reese, work, life, Haley, Scott—her eyes widened when she remembered about the kids.

She grew frantic in a moment, pushing herself away from Jack to sit up and find her kids. He understood her worry, the same worry he had when he thought he was the reason she died a few minutes ago. Was it selfish of him to be more concerned for Kim's wellbeing over the kids? He stopped her from standing up, shushing her and gently grabbing her wrist; slowly pinning her to the cool grass below them.

His body hovered over her frantic one and his mind choose to flash back to a moment of pure bliss for him, the moment when they couldn't be more in love.

His body tensed up in reaction to his brain wandering, remembering.

Her warm breath by his ear, his hair getting tangled in her earring, her body under his, the smart remarks, the kissing, the love, the memory.

Jack's body physically shuddered one last time before he snapped himself out of the memory, focusing back on Kim who was still trying to escape his grasp.

God, his mind choose the worst times to be one pain in the ass. . .

"Jack let go of me! I need to find Scott! Jack—"

"Hey, hey it's okay! The kids are safe, you have nothing to worry about." He found himself moving his hands up and down her arms in a smoothing matter, not knowing why. "Alright?" Kim nodded, going to speak but Jack cutting her off again. "I need you to calm down though, you need to calm down. You don't want to freak them out any more than they already are do you?"

She sighed, feeling the grass pricking her back like needles. It was freezing, but she didn't care. It felt nice after being trapped in the heat of the house, the sizzling flames were too much.

"I don't like you Jack, you know that right?" Her tone was laced with a teasing tone and Jack rolled his eyes again, slowly removing his hands from her arms.

"Well, you sure know how to win me over, don't you Kimmy?" His remark was soft, and came out smoother than it should have.

His mind gambled to question his ex-wife.

Dare he say it but . . . was she flirting?

Was he flirting?

Were they finally okay?

"Shut up Jack," There was a faint smile on her lips.

He laughed as he started moved to remove his body from overtop of hers when he heard the kids' off to the right of them. Kim also started to scamper away at their voices, Jack and her standing up at the same time. Kim was crushed into a smothering hug, as she lifted both of the kids in her arms. She buried her face into their intertwined hair, laughing happily.

"I'm so glad you two are safe," Scott giggled when he felt his mother purposely tickle his side, the young boy trying to wiggle out of her grip.

"Stop it mommy,"

"You stop it little guy, you're going to cause all of us to fall!" Her tone was playful as Jack watched from a few feet away, arms crossed and face sad with a smile.

Haley chimed in after pinching Scott's shoulder to get him to stop squirming around; "I'm glad there was a superhero around to save us."

"Oh really? Which superhero would that be honey?" Kim sounded bemused with the girl's answer, pulling her face back to look at the faces of her kids. Haley was part of this family now, Jack had no say in that. Kim looked to the girl like the daughter she never had. The daughter she always wanted.

"I think it was Superman . . . oh wait no! Spider-Man!" There was a happy gleam in Scott's eyes as he talked, looking over to Haley for the answer.

Haley laughed, the sound like music to Jack's ears as it brought a bigger smile to his lips. "No not Superman or Spider-Man silly,"

"Thor? Captain America? Oh, how about one of the Power Rangers?"

Kim shushed Scott kindly, causing the boy to pout. "Let Haley finish," Kim bended down as she spoke, releasing the two from her hold to give her arms a break from the strain. "Now, who was it Haley?"

"Well . . ." Haley looked past Kim at her father, Jack chuckling and giving her a hand motion to continue on. "It was daddy who was the superhero. He saved all of us."

Kim had just enough time to look behind her and see the stunned look on Jack's face before he doubled over in sudden pain, clutching his burned arm tightly. Kim stayed put in shock for a second, until a scream escaped Jack and put her legs in motion, running over to Jack. She put a hand on his shoulder, gently pushing his head into her stomach to try and calm him under the paramedics a few feet away could reach them.

"What's the matter Jack? What hurts?" He groaned, clenching his teeth.

"My—my fucking a-arm,"

"Alright, alright. The medics are almost over here to fix it. Let me see." She moved so she could see his arm, moving her hand on top of his unmoved fingers which still held on tightly. "Come on Jack, it'll be alright. Just let me see."

"Kim I don't want you to—it fucking _hurts_ Kim."

"Stop being a crybaby and let me see," She didn't mean for her tone to turn harsh, but that used to be the only way he would allow her to check out a cut or gash he was gain from work back when they were married.

Usually after, Jack would convince her to allow a quick make-out session.

He went silent at her words, instantly removing her hand and allowing Kim to look at his burn. She heard the footfalls of the medics behind her and held in the gasp that threatened to escape her at the sight of his burn.

Pink, yellow and red all melted together in a fiery mass.

The next thing they knew, medics were pulling Kim away and fixing his burn as Kim stared. She watched for a few more seconds before turning around and walking back over to the kids, bending down and pulling them into another quick hug. "He's such a dumbass sometimes, injuring himself for others . . ."

It was meant to be a private mumble to herself, but somehow; Haley heard her and grinned to herself.

"Trust me mommy, he's always been stupid." Kim didn't know how to respond, instead admitting to a chuckle.

"I guess he always has been, you do have that right Haley. And . . . you know I'm n-not your mom right honey?"

Kim pulled back to risk a glance at Haley, who simply kept smiling.

"I know. But you feel like my mommy." Suddenly, a fearful look entered the girl's eyes. "I-Is that okay?"

Kim laughed loudly, causing some of the firefighters to glance over at her like she was crazy.

"It's perfectly fine honey. It's perfectly fine."


	10. Faithfully

**~Author's Note~**

**Yes please don't kill me for making you guys wait so long and being an asshole and updating ER twice and then a one shot. In my defense, I couldn't help the one shot. I should've updated this before those two chapters though so sorry about that. Bit of writer's block for this, with only five chapters left. **

**So this is a big chapter in terms of feelings and questioning. Like, you guys know when you keep changing your answer on a test in school because you can't go with your gut feeling or you think it's just too easy? Kim is feeling like that in this chapter. She still loves him, Jack still loves her (we believe). She is torn between if she should go as far away as she can to get away from him or if she should just give him another chance. It's a fight for her through this whole chapter so if anything is worded weird; it's because I wanted you guys to get into the shoes of Kim.**

**Next up to talk about, the one shot I posted! It is called 'Forever' and it is a tribute to that final episode of Kickin' It. Even if you guys don't want to read it—just go check out the Author's Note in the start because I had a slight message for the whole fandom in there xD. So if you have time, please just go and check it out even just for the message if anything else :) **

**Plus—my next Kickin' It story that will happen sooner or later after this one finishes up; depends on what you guys want to see. There is a poll on my profile and on the poll two Kickin' It story ideas are there with summaries. Go check it out and either vote on there or come back and review on this or PM me with which one you like better. Thanks guys, it's all up to you because I'm okay with either idea. **

**Alright I am finished talking; now go ahead and read, enjoy and review! :D**

* * *

**10**

_And being apart_

_Ain't easy on this love affair_

_Two strangers learn to fall in love again_

_I get the joy of rediscovering you_

_Oh, girl, you stand by me_

_I'm forever yours_

_Faithfully . . ._

**~Faithfully by Journey~**

The drive from Kim's smothering home to Jack's is silent.

Neither adult can think of anything to say to the other and the kids are both stuck in a long-awaited nap; as Kim slowly comes to a stop at a red light.

She lets go of the wheel for a moment to rub her tired eyes, sighing softly. She sees the flash of her promise ring on her finger and stares at it for a moment, as Jack's orbs are stuck in a never-ending-gaze out the foggy window. His left arm aches, throbbing painfully in a steady beat like a drum. Kim had insisted early on in the drive that he take a nap with the kids, but he refused—saying that he didn't want to leave her driving all alone.

A horn came from behind Kim and she jumped, suddenly snapped out of her stupor and pressing the gas petal. Jack takes a glance out of the side of his eye, readjusting his injured arm.

He refused to be taken to a hospital for a proper cast and check-up, so the medics just wrapped his arm with gaze and white tape—throwing on a truckload of anti-burn cream for good measure.

"You okay?" His voice is drenched with exhaustion, coming out drowsy and deep.

She doesn't take her eyes off the road, looking for any stray deer that would be crazy enough to dart in front of her. It's nearly half past four in the morning.

"How's your arm?" She avoids answering his question with ease as Jack moves so that he can look at Kim. Her face is shadowed by the light of the moon, making her look like an angel.

"Hurts like a bitch,"

She doesn't laugh at the lighthearted tone he tries to take with his words, instead staring at her with worry. "Watch your language Jack," Her reply is soft as she blinks to try and get rid of the sleep in her eyes, gasping quietly when his hand is abruptly on her knee.

She goes to move her leg but his voice stops her, pleads with her to just stay still. She obeys that, even if a certain part of her doesn't agree. "What's wrong Kimmy?" He pauses to think of his next words, looking from the window and then back to Kim. He sighs before continuing, "Both of the kids are asleep and you don't seem like yourself."

She feels a wetness at the back of her eyes as she turns onto the street where Jack's house is, coming up to a short intersection and stopping because of the damaged stop sign on the corner. A few swears are covering the words 'stop' and a sticker of a middle finger adds to the foul background.

She wished Haley didn't have to grow up in such a low-class section of their town—it was close to nothing compared to what she provided to Scott.

"Nothing," Her tone is weary. His hand moves upwards, inching towards her stomach. She allows him to carry on with the movement until she unexpectedly slaps his hand away, Jack staying stoic as he retracts his hand.

His voice is inaudible, "Kim?"

The tears come fast as she speeds down the road, taking off. Jack grips the armrest with one hand as the other reaches for the distraught woman. "Stop, Kim, slow down! The kids!" She shakes her head slowly as she makes it to his driveway, pulling in and nearly not hitting the brake. "Kim!" His voice brings her back to sanity as she stops the car seconds from hitting his garage door, the only sound in the car as Jack quickly pulls the key out of the ignition is her heavy breathing.

He juggles the key in his hand before stuffing it in his pocket and turning to look at her for a long moment. She can't look at him and stares down at her feet. "What the fuck Kim?" His voice isn't angry, just worried and quiet and causes her heart to scream.

It's like his voice is that second tone inside of his head; laughing at her yet screaming at her all the while.

She slowly lowers her head down to rest on the steering wheel, arms following. She hears the click of Jack's seatbelt before everything goes fuzzy and then the tears leak out of her, the woman trying to stop herself from sobbing and waking up the kids. There's another click as he softly undoes her seatbelt, and tugs her toward his welcoming body.

The hug is awkward because of the space in the middle but she can't do anything else but accept his loving hold; burying her head deep into his chest. Soon, that awkwardness disappears and it's like that middle console doesn't exist. He just holds her, understanding that all she wants is the feeling that someone cares as his mind goes a million miles per hour.

"God Jack, just . . . God . . . " It takes him a moment to realize that she's talking to him and he snaps himself out of his revive to listen. "Why do you cause this to happen to me?"

He grows confused at her words, "What are you—"

"One second you claim your never going to leave me, the next your gone. Then you come back and bring damn hell right behind you. Why the hell is that?"

Jack tightens his hold around her, exhaling. "I-I don't know Kimmy. I wish I could tell you."

He does his best to keep the chuckle out of his tone. He does his best to stay strong even though her words were like daggers of ice to his beating heart.

Where her words as true as they seemed?

Did he really cause so much pain and drama by coming back?

Another part of him disagrees, saying that it's all her fault. She's the one who came into _his _house and kidnapped _his_ kid. A quiet sob finds its way out of her chapped lips, "You don't even have a direct answer,"

He scoffs, "Isn't me being here enough?"

Kim sighs heavily, rapping her fingers against the gauze on his arm before pulling out of the emotional hug. Her movements stopped him from speaking anymore, the words of 'stop acting so stupid' dying in his throat. He stares at her as she wipes her eyes, waiting for her to say something.

She feels vile and she doesn't know why.

He's Jack.

He's the love of her life.

Why does hell have to follow him?

Follow them?

Scott sure as hell doesn't deserve it, he's so damn innocent. Neither does Haley. Kim feels his stare and doesn't look at him, finding an interest in her tattered shoes.

"Grab Haley, I'll get Scott. Let's head in," Kim's voice is soft and torn, Jack nodding and exiting the car quickly after her words. She looks at her shoes for a minute more before following his actions. Each parent grabs their other and head to the door, Jack pulling out his keys with little trouble and unlocking the front door. He then allows Kim to enter first, bringing up the rear and gently closing the door and locking it once again behind him.

"Kim," she turns to look at him, questioning in her orbs; "here. Lay Scott on the left side of the couch and I'll put Haley by his feet so they don't roll off."

The blonde nodded and obeyed his words, placing Scott on the couch as Jack did the same to Haley and then walked upstairs to grab a blanket for the two kids. Kim pressed a kiss to Scott's cheek, leaning over and doing the same to Haley before her phone vibrated loudly from her pocket.

She jumped at the sudden noise and pulled her phone out, noticing the 'Unknown Caller' ID light up the screen. Sliding over the 'answer' button, she walked into the kitchen a few paces away and leaned against the brown table. "Hello?"

"Hello, is this Miss Kimberly Crawford?" The voice was deep and riddled heavily with drowsiness, but also a tone of serious meanings.

"Speaking, just Kim is fine. May I ask whose calling?"

The man sighed from the other end, "My name is Officer Hutchison. I'm with the Seaford Police Department, Fire Unit. Your house caught on fire earlier on this morning correct?"

Jack came back down from upstairs in that moment, carrying a thin blue blanket that was at least fit to cover a queen-sized bed. She nearly chuckled at his stubborn actions, forgetting to answer the officer on the other end of the phone. "Miss Crawford? Are you there?"

The sudden sound of Hutchison's voice startled her and she exhaled heavily.

"Y-Yeah I'm here. Sorry about that, I got distracted. Yes, my house caught fire in the early hours of the morning. I was wondering if you guys found out what caused the fire . . . ?"

She heard clicking, figuring he was typing something on the computer to bring up the report. Jack heard her talking and after covering up the kids so tight he was sure they wouldn't roll off, he walked over to where Kim was standing. "Who's that?" He whispered, Kim rolling her eyes at his impatience.

"Police Office, about the fire." He nodded at her quiet answer and sat at the table, resting his head on his arms.

"Miss Crawford?"

"Yes?"

"According to the records of the firefighters present, the cause of the fire was from a piece of burnt chicken left on the stove. The stove was left a quarter of the way on which sparked the fire from the chicken. It grew so big because it went unnoticed for so long; plus you own a gas stove which only made it worsen faster."

She searched her brain for who the last person near the countertop with the stove was and she wanted to believe it was herself but it wasn't.

It was Jack.

He was being kind and said he would take care of it so she trusted him to turn off everything and clean up.

She thought he did that. "O-Okay . . . "

"Who was the last person near the stove Miss Crawford? You?"

She was startled by his question, "Why do you need to know?"

He recited his words like as if he had said them a million times before, which he probably had. "It's for the insurance company. If it was yourself they won't refund anything because they, as the nasty bastards they are, will claim you did it on purpose. If it was someone who doesn't live there, like a guest you had over for dinner—you might have higher chances of some free money."

Kim would've chuckled any other time if she was deep in thought about the whole ordeal of Jack being the reason why the house burnt down. "Um it was my ex-husband. He was the last one to touch it."

Jack looked up at the mention of the term used commonly around him, sending the woman a confused look. She shook her head, indicating she would explain it to him after the call ended. He shrugged and closed his eyes, trying to get some rest.

"Ex?" The officer sounds amused and Kim grows irritated, making sure he can hear it in her voice.

"Yes, ex. We had some differences, so you'll relay that information to the insurance company and they should refund everything?"

"For your sake you better hope so . . . would you like me to give you the overall report of your house?"

Kim rubbed her free hand over her eyes, "Yeah, yes please."

She was so tired all of a sudden, so tired and she had no reason why.

"The fire really out your home through the worst. They were able to recover a good amount of treasured things like necklaces and baby toys but for now you'll need a new place to live. I'm sorry Miss Crawford." Hutchison clicked on Kim's name, curious to know the picture behind the beautiful voice. When he found a picture, his stomach churned with happiness.

Damn, she looked better than his wife did.

"Thank you Officer Hutchison," He knew he had to say something to make the conversation last so he could talk to her longer.

"Uh—wait!"

Kim moved the phone back from her ear at his shout, the man nervously rubbing the patch of blonde hair on his chin. "Yes Officer?" Hutchison recovered, making sure his voice sounded husky. Her ex-husband did just catch her house on fire so she should be very distressed.

"There is always space for a lovely girl like you in my room, if you need somewhere to stay."

Kim got a look of disgust on her face before answering, "Thanks for the offer you asshole, but I tend to avoid creepy people like you." With that she angrily hit the end button and Jack was watching her worriedly.

"What was that?"

"Asshole hit on me. What a bastard," Her voice was raised and Jack was worried the kids would wake up so he stood up and shushed her, rubbing her arms. She didn't want his touch but at the same time yearned it.

"What else did you find out from the call?" He could see her eyes change to hate.

God, why—_why_ was it so hard for her to figure out his motives?

Figure him out? It was such an inner war . . . did she love him?

Hate him?

A damned part of herself wanted to pull him to her and kiss him.

"Kim? You okay?" Her eyes are closed up again, locked up so he can't figure out what she's thinking. That's a red flag in his eyes, she doesn't do that unless it's absolutely needed. The only time she did that to him was during the court meeting for the divorce papers.

For the custody.

"The fire was started by the stove not being turned off all the way."

He looked at her in confusion, puzzlement. "Something so big from the stove? How in the hell is that possible?"

He was overlooking the cause of why.

What she was trying to say to him without actually saying it to him.

"Piece of burnt chicken helped it, along with my stove being old and using gas. But Jack . . ." He looked down, she avoided his orbs.

"Yeah?"

"You were the last person by the stove . . . you forgot to turn it off."

She hoped she wouldn't have to say more, wouldn't have to say the words of 'it was your fault' because she really didn't want it to. She stopped rubbing her arms, everything clicking in his brain. It was his fault why Kim didn't have a house anymore. The guilt was like a huge rock sitting in his stomach.

She choose to stare at his defined chest, too tired to scream at him like a part of her wanted to.

She was just so tired of everything.

His hand ghosted over her cheek, resting there in a caress. Using calloused fingers, he gently moved her face upwards so it was facing his. Her eyes were glassy and he hated that.

"I'm so sorry Kimmy. I'm sorry." Next thing Kim knows is that his forehead is resting against hers and his other hand is on the other side of her face. He makes sure her eyes stayed locked on his. "I'm. Sorry. I swear to almighty above I'm trying to make this right—to fix us."

She can see the wetness in his eyes now and it damn near breaks her heart. "Jack,"

"I'm trying to damn hard to fix us. I want to know my son and I don't ever want to lose you Kimmy. Like hell, I already did that once." She chuckles quietly, arms wrapped around his bulky form.

"Then why did you ever leave in the first place?"

He looks at her for a long moment before moving backwards a step and reaching into his shirt—pulling out the necklace that rested there. The ring was the brightest thing in the room. "I have been asking myself that since the day I left." Kim is shocked to see the ring but recovers and holds up her hand—their promise ring is close to his ring as she rests her hand on his chest. "You'll . . . you'll forgive me one day Kim? One day, you'll forgive me?"

She pulls her hand back and sits down at the kitchen table, Jack following her motions and sitting across from her. So many answers want to leave her lips and she doesn't know what to even say. "I honestly don't know. But I'll try. Friends, friends stick together."

She doesn't want to use the word 'friends' but she figures that's all she _can_ say.

She can't push it any further—he's like a walking bottle of poison in her eyes.

He nods, smiling a little. "I want to know about Haley . . . her mother. If you want me to forgive you Jack, we have to start somewhere."

He stiffens at the mention of Haley's mother, his smile turning into a strong frown.

"You won't like it, I don't even like it Kimmy."

"I don't care, now c'mon. Tell me about my little girl." Jack lets the shock pass him, allowing a smile on his face instead. It sounded nice hearing Kim say that.

He exhaled before speaking. "You remember April Clark? Used to be one of my best friends right?"

Kim's face melted into one of hate, her mind flashing back to the night when she read the text message from that bitch. She had guessed at the time he had gone to her at one time.

"Yeah, yeah how could I ever forget that bitch?"

Jack chuckled, "She is a damn right nasty bitch, I can agree with you on that. After we got divorced, I stayed in her house for a few months. It was hard to get back on my feet after that. I got knocked out of my right mind one night, I was mad at you and myself . . . we had a one night stand. April didn't take it as that. Apparently, me and all of my friendly motions towards her—like friendship things right? Well she took all of those and believed that I loved her."

Kim's eyes widened, "So you screwing her that just played right into her fantasy? Made it worse?" Kim hated the thought of Jack with someone else but there was nothing she could do. It was his life, not hers. Jack's face scrunched up in repulsion.

"Yeah . . . biggest mistake of my life. But wait Kimmy, it just gets better."

"Oh Jack—"

"I forgot to use protection." He starts to play with his hands on the table, fingers fumbling over one another a few times. Kim watches him with weary eyes; hoping he doesn't do anything rash. "I forgot to use protection and the next morning I asked her if she was on the pill and she said 'yes'. I believed her and that has to be one of the biggest mistakes in my life. I should've checked . . ."

"It isn't your fault Jack, she played you—hard."

Kim's hands close overtop his and he flitches slightly from the sudden touch, relaxing a second later.

"She told me she was pregnant and I flipped the hell out. I didn't want another kid, I had just gotten away from my last one. She told me about a whole lot of bullshit; how I said I loved her and she loved me so much and always did and I just kept yelling and yelling at her. I told her I was leaving her and she could keep the kid, then I stormed out of the room. Went and got drunk that night for sure."

Kim listening closely, hating April more and more by the second. "It's okay Jack,"

"I came to regret my words and ended up helping her through the pregnancy. Every step of the way. The day comes and we still haven't figured out a name and all I can think of is you. You and me and the name we had picked out for a girl. We come to a compromise, April gets to pick the first name and I get to pick the middle. Then we go from there and hope they go together. Haley Maddison. I don't dare give her my last name; too afraid. But now I know her name would sound better with mine."

"Jack,"

"Hmm?"

"It's beautiful either way honey."

She doesn't know where it comes from or how it gets out but it does and he grins softly.

"Thanks Kimmy. I tried to connect you to my little girl as much as I could."

She lowers her voice, "You did just perfect Jack."

"She ditches me with Haley a few weeks later and I don't hear from her again; just me and my baby girl." Kim wants to hug him and envy him. She wouldn't let Reese even get a step near her in any of those categories. "Now, tell me about my boy."

Kim smiles, "Scott has had a good life. Reese helped him through a lot, fixed at lot so he wouldn't ask about his daddy too much even though he always wondered."

Jack grinned as a thought came to mind, "Kimmy?"

"Yeah?"

"Does Scott like dogs?" Kim laughs loudly, quieting herself afterwards.

"Loves them, his favorite is a Grey Hound." Jack nearly falls in a heavy laughter himself, but holds it back and instead moves over behind Kim's chair and wraps her into a tug hug from behind. She covers his hands with his own.

Jack will have to let Scott meet Milkshake one day, he even swears he can hear the dammed dog barking in replacement as an alarm clock.

Jack kisses the top of Kim's head, "I hate fucking Grey Hounds Kimmy."

She kissed his wrist mildly, "You'll come to love them, and you'll come to really love them when I get him one for his tenth birthday when he is old enough."

Jack groaned loudly, burying his face into the crook of her neck.

"Damn it Kimmy, you spoil him."

She shoved him in playfulness and for once; it felt like they were a family again. When she falls asleep after talking to him for another hour, Jack carries her over to the couch and sits, tugging her close in his arms before falling asleep himself.

His dreams are filled with Scott and Haley giggling happily and a Grey Hound named Sergeant chasing the two of them across the lawn, Kim pressed to his side in a hug.


	11. Gone too Soon

**~Author's Note~ **

**School's out and now I have a whole summer to write, update and play video games. :) I know the wait for this and ER were quite long so sorry about that but no worries, here is the next chapter that will leave you in shock by the ending . . . **

**Thanks for all of the reviews, favorites and follows. Those keep me going guys. Two quick things before you get to reading. Now I will be taking in all options into account alright? *Number one—who do you guys want Kim to end up with? Jack or Reese? Please leave your option in a review, pm or however you would like to tell me. *Number two, my next story. I added some new options to the poll and I also saw that the two Kickin' It ideas were tied so go ahead and break that tie if you haven't already voted. **

**Alright I'm done talking. Read, enjoy and review as always :D**

* * *

**11**

_You were always there_

_and like shining light_

_on my darkest days_

_you were there to guide me_

**~Gone too Soon by Simple Plan~**

The next morning, Kim wakes up to the smell of burnt eggs and charred toast.

She bolts upright in her seat after the smells register in her senses, instantly afraid Scott managed to get a knife in the toaster again. She blinks a few times to clear the sleep from eyes and then looks around, taking note that she is resting on Jack's old beaten up couch in his front room.

The next thing she notices is a calm Haley and Scott sitting at the low dining room table in the kitchen a few feet away; the two feasting on the makeshift breakfast in front of them. She stands up quickly, walking over in her confusion and the two kids both send her a bright smiles before she kisses each on the cheek. "Good morning you two,"

"Morning Mommy." Scott answered, before putting some chopped up grape into his mouth, Haley swallowing her mouthful of scrambled eggs.

"Good morning Kimmy," Kim smiled at Haley before glancing down at their plates.

"Who made you guys breakfast?"

"Dad did," Scott answered as he took a sip of orange juice.

Kim nodded, nearly scolding herself for forgetting about Jack. "Where did your father disappear to honey?"

Scott titled his head towards the bathroom, "He told us he was going to clean himself up in the bathroom."

"Alright, you two finish eating while I go check up on Jack."

The kids nodded once more before continuing to talk to each other between shovel-loads of food. She slowly made her way to the bathroom, hearing a muffled curse come from Jack as she stood in the doorway of the bathroom.

"Son of a . . . " He cut himself off as he picked at his burn again, pulling of some of the matted down skin by accident. Kim watched with amusement as he took a washcloth from the counter and wiped off the access blood coating his arm before cursing again.

He was clad in a sleeveless, ripped up old 'Bobby Wasabi Dojo' shirt—the girl vaguely remembering that used to be a famous dojo in their town back when they were teenagers. Actually, she went with him to get it from a special viewing event. It was signed by Bobby Wasabi himself on the front, right under the small logo on the right side. She had gotten a Training Gi at that certain event, and she was ninety-nine percent sure it was buried somewhere in her closet. Jack also had on a pair of loose Nike black sweats that hung gingerly low, his feet bare.

Kim entered the room after figuring letting him go through enough ache was enough punishment for the past few days.

She placed her hand on his back shoulder blade, causing Jack to nearly fall over his own two feet at the sudden feeling of her warm skin on him. He turned around with wild eyes before seeing that it was just Kim and relaxing immediately. "Sorry Jack, I didn't mean to scare you."

He shook his head, looking at her a second more before glancing back down at his burn. Kim gazed at the pulverized skin, the different colors odd and misplaced. "It's alright, the kids and I got up about an hour ago and I figured it was best to let you sleep. You needed it."

She sent him a smile. "Thanks for making them breakfast, even though the smell of burnt food was horrid to my nostrils."

He laughed softly, grabbing some gauze from the counter in front of him and beginning to wrap it around his arm. "They were hungry and I didn't want to wake you. You should know better than anyone that my cooking skills are beyond horrible."

"I noticed,"

Silence entered after her words and Jack finished wrapping up his burn, Kim knowing it still hurt him. "Why don't you just go to the Doctor's at least, please? Just so they can take a look at it and make sure nothing is seriously wrong."

Jack looked at her through the hair that fell over his eyes, "I'm fine Kimmy. No reason to worry about me. Though we do have a slight problem."

Her orbs grew apprehensive, "Which is?"

"Well, I burnt enough food so now we have nothing for dinner. We need to run to the store—"

"How about this," she moved closer to him and he crossed his arms, looking down at her in enjoyment; "you head to the Doctors with Scott while Haley and I head to the grocery store to get a few things for dinner."

He looked at her for a moment more, pretending to debate the subject in his mind.

"Sounds like a plan. I'll drop you two off at your house so you can pick up your car on the way."

Kim nodded, their faces inches apart. She could smell his cologne, a mix of peppermint and spice. His hair was tainted by the aftermath of an earlier shower, his locks more curly than usual. Kim had to use all of her might to not glimpse down at his bare arms. Suddenly the silence was broken by Kim hitting him playfully on the shoulder. The powerful eye contact between the two was broken.

"Now go out with the kids, I have to get washed real fast before we leave."

He laughed, "Well I don't have to leave. You know I could use another shower . . . just like back in—"

"Get out Jack," He laughed smugly as he left.

She was too flustered at his suggestion to fully enforce her words afterwards.

* * *

"Captain Crunch?"

"We don't need that."

"Fruit Loops?"

"You have two full boxes at home already Haley."

"How about Coco Pebbles?"

"Your Dad hates those, maybe Fruity Pebbles for Scott and I though . . . "

"Oh I know! Lucky Charms!"

Kim couldn't help but smile as she plucked at box off the shelf in front of them, glad Haley and her came to an agreement. "Atta-girl. I knew we would get along."

Haley grinned as she sneaked a box of Double Stuffed Oreos into the shopping cart when Kim wasn't looking. "Better than Daddy and I."

"No, no I doubt that. You and your Daddy are very close."

Haley nodded, "That's true Kimmy. But superheroes get busy so maybe you could step in when he can't." Kim couldn't help but smile at the girl's proposition.

"Alright so next on the list would be—"

Kim stopped midsentence when she turned around and saw Reese standing at the end of the aisle, a dumbstruck look on his face.

They stared at each other for a few minutes, neither knowing what to do. Reese decided to make the first move and approach Kim, the flustered woman taking in his mountain-man-like features. He had a thin layer of beard on his face, not exactly stubble but not exactly ugly either. In a certain light, it looked good on him. It made the older man look better, like he was wise but still young and as handsome as ever.

His eyes were burning a hole into her, seeing right through her and reading her every thought. It was like he already understood how she felt, and Kim couldn't pretend that there wasn't hints of love hidden in his irises. That emotion was too bold to be ignored by her at least.

A simple black tee shirt is thrown hastily over his broad shoulders, followed by some sweats that hung too low. Kim looked down at Haley, who is watching Reese with a curious gaze. The blonde places a caring hand on the younger girl's shoulder, causing Haley to tear her eyes away from Reese.

"Who is that Kimmy?"

It caused a smile to appear on Kim's face at Haley's ways of switching from calling Kim 'Kimmy' or 'Mommy'. It was adorable in a way. Kim debated on what she could tell Haley about who it was, wondering if the excuse of a 'long lost friend' would hold up or be disregarded.

Before she had any more time to think about her answer, Reese was standing beside her, looking down at Haley who held onto the side of their shopping cart tightly.

Kim looked from Haley to Reese, seeing the latter tense under the younger's terrified eyes, "Haley, this is Reese. He is . . . "

"I'm a friend of Kim's."

Haley didn't like Reese. He wasn't as tall as her Dad and looked scary with the hair on his face. She also didn't like how tense he was around her and Kim. In Haley's eyes, it looked like he didn't like Kim that much either.

Reese nodded at Haley and then turned to Kim who was avoiding his eyes. She wanted to curse herself, why she didn't turn and run as soon as she saw him was a mystery to her. It would've been the smarter option. They still had things to settle and if Kim was being honest; the note he left her was almost threatening in her eyes.

He wasn't something of hope or safety anymore.

He was the monster that hid under the bed in fairytales.

The three stood in silence for a moment, until Kim suddenly moved towards Haley and softly grabbed her hand. Haley held hers tightly in response. "Okay well um, we need to go head home. Have a good day Reese,"

She hated how much she stumbled through her letters but now she wanted to get as far away from him as possible.

She could protect her and Haley from everything—just not any emotional disorder.

Damn his looks for alluring her in. She was supposed to run away, not the other way around.

She nodded to Haley and started to move the cart forwards, still clutching Kim's hand tightly. "Wait!" A hand on her arm. Kim flinched back in disgust.

"Get off me Reese, don't make this turn into something stupid." She seethed, shaking her arm free from his hold.

He shook his head, "Kim. Kim just please hear me out. Come on, please."

Kim looked into his eyes and saw love and sincerely too bold. She wished they weren't filled with those emotions because she wasn't so sure she felt the same way towards him anymore. She saw some toys a few feet away from the two and turned towards Haley, bending down and sending a smile at her.

"Why don't you go look over at those toys right there? I just need to talk to Reese real fast alright?"

Haley grinned widely, "Alright. Mommy?"

Kim kept the smile on her face, "Yes sweetheart?"

"Are you sure that you're okay?"

Kim didn't trust herself to sleep so she simply nodded and Haley gave her a quick hug before taking off towards the toys. Kim stood up and turned back around to Reese who unsuccessfully was trying to keep his resentment under control.

"Mommy? Isn't that Jack's kid?"

"Don't talk about Haley like she isn't a person Reese." Kim snapped, keeping her voice low.

Reese didn't push the topic, knowing he had to make amends about other things first. "Listen Kim, I'm sorry for what I did. That wasn't me. It wasn't me in any way. That was someone else who didn't love you and who was too controlled by hate over something stupid. You have to forgive me."

Kim shook her head. "Rot in hell Reese. You had your chance and you ruined it."

His hand is on her arm again before she can turn around and stomp away. "Look at me baby, please."

She stayed defiant for a minute, her heart screeching at the use of the blunt nickname for her. He used to call her 'baby' all of the time when they were just friends, before the romance part came along. They had a calm, friendly flirting relationship back when they first met and the few years that followed after. Kim had to hide her smile from just remembering those thoughts. She stayed lost in thought for another few seconds before turning back towards Reese.

She glanced across at Haley from the corner of her eye, seeing the young girl looking at all of the toys. She was smiling to herself, not being able to decide between two Hot Wheels cars.

She barely even looked at the man standing near her, "Reese, just what do you have left to say?"

He exhales, looking downwards before staring directly at Kim. His eyes are glassy and she has to compose herself from breaking down in front of him. He looks so heartbroken. "Look Kim, I'm already in hell without you. Because you aren't with me. I'm sorry Kim. I'm sorry okay? You know I'm not that type of person. Please just come back to me baby."

Kim shakes her head, biting her lip.

The name 'Jack' hits her brain like a train.

But she pushes it away.

"I-I got to go Reese—"

She turns to leave but the next thing she knows is that she is buried in his arms, pushed up against his broad chest. She doesn't struggle against his hold, instead embracing it. He presses a kiss to her hair, resting his chin on her head. The only thing Kim can feel is the difference between Reese and Jack, even if it's only the tiniest difference. Reese says nothing, his hands drumming patterns of different songs she loves on her back and sides while Jack says everything possible to make her feel better, holding her as tight as he can to show her that she'll always and forever be safe.

Both are amazing in their own ways, and to be honest—Kim could say she loved the both of them.

It was lucky in a sense but she didn't want the unneeded attention or the forever multiple pullings of her heartstrings each time she saw one or the other.

"Please come back to me one day baby, please." Before she can say anything else, he's gone and she is all alone with Haley once again.

His warmth lingers in her bones.

* * *

Jack nearly gets lost in the tree line staring him down from in front of him, his detour of using one of the backroads to avoid traffic having to be the best decision he's made in a while. The radio is turned to a low volume incase Scott calls for him, B101.1 is on. A classic Green Day song is playing, 'When September Ends'.

The trees in front of him are wonderful colors; mixes of painted on rose, dashes of ginger and spots of jade. The faded bark reminds him of the casual days when he would walk to school, Kim glued to his side. The sun was in full bloom above, casting a bright yellowish glow on everything its rays hit. While the big, fluffy marshmallow-like clouds were so white you could get lost for hours and hours in the swirls; trying to guess the different items and shapes shown.

Jack had the windows down in his car, his arm drumming different sounds from trying to keep himself from falling asleep. The scenery might've been nice but it didn't cure all of his boredom. In total, he knew Kim and himself didn't get too much sleep; let alone any.

"Move it asshole!"

Jack snapped to attention when someone shouted from the car behind him and he blinked once, seeing the streetlight had turned green. He threw his hand up in a wave motion out the window to tell the guy to 'fuck off' before pushing his foot down on the gas pedal; the car lurching to a speed of around forty.

"Hey Jack?" Jack glances in the review mirror at Scott in his car seat, noticing how the car behind him had turned off at the first right in the meantime. Now it was just them and the tranquil 'country-like' road.

"What's up buddy?" His right hands moves to the volume dial as the song ends and he clicks it once to shut off the crackling radio.

"I wanna show you something."

The older man chuckles, shaking his head. "I'm sorry bud but I can't right now. I gotta drive."

"No come on Dad. You gotta see it," Scott insisted and his voice nearly convinced Jack to turn around. But he resisted the urge, sighing.

"I got to pay attention to the road bud."

There was a little gap on the side of the road coming up on his right and Jack turned on his 'right' turning signal as he slowed the car down. "I can pull over here—"

"I want to be brave and show you my battle scars Daddy." Jack grows confused yet worried at the same time, quickly pulling the car over and making sure his flashers are on before looking back at Scott.

"Battle scars?" His tone is rimmed with questioning and Scott sends him a toothy smile.

"Look!" He lifts his chin up, and Jack sees it.

His heart drops.

It's not huge or ugly but it's there and that's enough to make him feel like the worst father in the world. It was technically his fault how the fire even happened in the first place; if he was paying more attention or triple-checked everything maybe it wouldn't had happened at all. It's a tiny scar in the marred shape of a lowercase 'x'.

It's diverse.

It's his.

Jack knew it shouldn't have been there.

There is a deep pain in Jack's chest as he stares at the scar until Scott moves his head back down so he can't see it anymore. The turmoil still remains. Jack gulps, afraid that if he doesn't clear his throat correctly he won't be able to speak past the boulder-like feeling in his windpipe. "That's a-awesome bud. Why do you think it's a battle scar though?"

The youngster simply shrugs, his smile never wavering. "Because the aliens didn't end up getting me."

Jack can't help but let a choked up laugh escape him as he turns back around to the wheel and rubs his hands over his face.

Scott was so damn innocent.

Sometimes he forgot what children didn't know, what they didn't have to fear. He forgot that they were scared of everything but yet fearless when the monsters came knocking on their doors. In some ways, he knows that Haley and Scott are better than he will ever be, more valiant than he could ever find the courage to be. He wipes his eyes, feeling the water. He wouldn't dare to cry, not after what they all had been through.

He sniffs once and grips the wheel so tight that his knuckles turn white.

He moves the wheel, the car hoping over the cracked pavement back onto their side of the road and Jack glances in the side mirror, his heart leaping up to rest in his throat.

He knows it's too late, that the Ford Pickup is going too fast.

He knows he made a mistake.

He scrambles to press the gas pedal to give his old car some gas but it's not enough.

So instead he gives up on that and turns towards Scott; moving his arm to rest as a barricade against his little body so that when they get hit the force won't kill him. He sends a prayer up to God, not caring if he himself lives as long as Scott makes it out. A question forms on the child's lips but it's too late as the shriek of metal on metal and brakes screaming echoes into the chipper morning.

Everything goes black for Jack and there's an ear-splintering ringing in both of his ears.

He tries to open his eyes and it feels like hours before he can actually get them open. The first thing he sees is his injured arm bleeding again, gauze lost and throw haphazardly over the passenger seat; as well as smashed black leather interior. He groans, blinking a few times and trying to move his legs. He tries to move his arm but gasps as immense discomfort meets him and he nearly passes out from the feeling.

He shakes his head in resentment, not allowing his body to give in and cause him to be helpless.

He moves his arm and turns back around in his seat, seeing the window shattered before him. The deflated airbag is resting in his lap as dots of blood drip from his arm and deface the pearly white of the protector. He risks a glimpse down at his arm and sees the skin bleeding profusely; a new large, gapping gash staring blankly back at him.

There's a few pieces of glass from the window mocking him, plastered in plugs among his sticky blood.

He nearly gags at the dark color, his mind too disarrayed to be able to tell if loosing this much blood was good for him or not.

He hears distant, very distant, sirens and struggles to move himself out the door that looks to be pushed forward. He's too out of it to tell if he's seeing things or not. He manages to get out and falls to the ground, shouting in agony when he feels another piece of something cut through his shirt and into his abs. His muscles yelp at the intruder, a shudder of cold washes over Jack. He knows he is losing consciousness and fast.

Then, the memory hits him like a train wreck.

Scott.

_Scott_.

He wheezes and tries to stand up as fast as he can; looking up towards the mashed in passenger side door. He reaches for the handle that looks like it's not even there as the sirens seem to get closer and close in around him.

He officially blacks out by the time people are prodding and poking at his bloodied body.

The next time he wakes up he's laying down in an ambulance. There's an oxygen mask over his face and he sits up so fast he nearly gives the paramedic a heart attack of her own. "Holy shit," She breathed as she shot up, trying to push Jack back down. "Sir please calm down. You need to take it easy. You need stiches in your arm and—"

He reaches up with his bad arm and pulls the mask off him, determined on finding Scott and making sure nothing else can happen to him.

The woman tries to talk Jack back into lying down and multiple times tries to also pop a sedative into his arm but Jack doesn't allow it and demands that she tells him where Scott is. The woman seems so scared that she might just jump out the doors before they reach the hospital right around the corner.

"The kid that was in my car—where is he?" He's crazed with finding him.

The woman is mentally thanking her skills for being able to throw some blue sticky gaze over his injured arm as a precaution. If that wasn't there, there would've been blood everywhere.

"Sir please calm down. We are just getting to the hospital now—"

Once he hears that he freezes and waits for the car to stop before hopping off the locked in stretcher and ignoring the woman's calls. He enters the hospital and looks around for anyone—Scott, Kim, Haley; just someone. His eyes land on Kim and Haley over by the desk.

Jack runs over and grabs a trembling Haley from Kim's arms, the three are obvious to Scott being wheeled into emergency surgery behind them.

Jack goes into near hysterics, keeping his sobs in to try and not unnerve Haley more than she already was. Kim is avoiding Jack and trying to get information from the desk to no success. Kim is finally pointed to a Doctor preparing to go into surgery for Scott and hassles answers.

Jack holds Haley as tight as he can. "Are you okay Daddy?"

He nearly loses it right then and there. "Yeah baby girl, I'm okay."

"And Scott?" Jack takes a minute to think of the best answer.

"Yeah honey. He's alright too."

Kim walks back over with the Doctor with her who looks frazzles as he quickly dishes out answers. "Scott is okay. He just needs surgery on his left shoulder blade that was pushed forward from the impact. Besides that a few scratches he is fine. He got lucky Miss Crawford."

"Thank you."

He sends her a smile before running into the surgery room, knowing he was going to save one little boy's life.

Kim walks over towards one of the empty rooms, about to become Scott's once he got out of surgery, and blocks Jack from walking in behind her. There's blood pooling under his gauze now, from the strain of holding Haley. He overlooks it. "Kimmy?" His voice is so quiet she doesn't think he had even spoken.

She is near tears and so pissed off that she could throw him through the window all at the same time. She turns suddenly a looks at him, a certain fire in her eyes.

Pain, hate and love shine brightly.

"Why is it that hell follows where you walk? Why can't you just leave my family alone?"

Jack looks her hard in the eyes before he answers, shifting Haley to his other shoulder. "Because it's my family too."


	12. Mockingbird

**~Author's Note~**

**I was so happy about how many reviews I got with the last chapter and how fast they came in that I did nothing but spend time on this and another story idea these past few days. Honestly guys, thank you, from the bottom of my heart. **

**Huge shout out to all of the guest-reviewers; I haven't gotten that many since Broken Cords. Shout outs to **ElenaKickShipper **, **theScribblerWP** , and **Aznmissy04 **as well. You guys all commented on my writing style and writing ways and it really made my day. Go on ahead and check out their stories which are some pretty awesome ones :)**

**Now there are some guest appearances in this chapter that actually weren't originally planned but it just came to me as I was writing so I went with it. Keep in mind this is an AU so let me know how I did haha xD. **

**I'm just gonna answer a few reviews and then you guys can start reading. **

Guest Reviewer for Chapter 4 **: I figure with Jack and Kim's attitudes that something would explode between them to cause a divorce; no matter how much they loved each other. Not everything is a happy ending. But, these two are finding each other again so you never know what could happen.**

Guest Reviewer for Chapter 11** : Jack has been fighting for Kim as hard as he can, ever since she knocked some sense into him, and that's why Kim is so confused with her feelings. :)**

Guest Reviewer Chloe for Chapter 11** : I tried with the angst and for some reason I did manage to get a semi-jealous Jack in here when I didn't even mean to. Apparently when I see a review I never forget it. I hope you enjoy this chapter! **

**Leave a vote on my profile poll with your option on what you would wish for my next story to be or if you have a prompt to give me tell me about so I can bring it into consideration. I do listen to you guys, 'cause you guys have always been here for me :) Read, enjoy and review!**

* * *

**12**

_I can see you're sad, even when you smile, even when you laugh_

_I can see it in your eyes, deep inside you want to cry_

'_Cause you're scared, I ain't there?_

_Daddy's with you in your prayers_

_No more crying, wipe them tears_

_Daddy's here, no more nightmares_

_We gon' pull together through it, we gon' do it_

**~Mockingbird by Eminem~**

"How is he doing Kimmy?"

Kim doesn't look up from Scott's sleeping form; running her fingers up and down his hand. Jack sighs softly, moving into the room and glancing over at Haley who is sleeping soundly on the chair pulled up next to Kim. He sets down the bag of clothes he brought for Kim by the door, shoving his hair out of his eyes from the shower he had just taken back at home.

The surgery went fine, the doctors were able to fix his left shoulder blade without too many bumps in the road. It was actually more serious than they had seen at first, Scott's shoulder blade had gotten pushed out of the socket from the powerful impact of the collision. They managed it and Scott was expected to make a full recovery within three weeks. The doctors had also hounded over Jack after they saw his arm, stitching up the gash and picking out the specks of glass. He would have to get the stiches out in about a week, because he let it grow so bad in such a sort amount of time.

"Kim you can't still be mad at me."

The sun was barely peeking out from over the horizon out of the opened window; it was the next day around eleven in the early morning. Kim still doesn't answer, too lost in her memories. She was confused and worried, yet thankful that Scott was okay.

Her heart still was dealing with tidal waves for Jack and Reese; as stupid as it seemed.

Jack moved towards Kim, rubbing her shoulder. She snapped her head towards him so fast Jack nearly fell backwards himself. "What Jack? What else would you like to ruin?" Her tone was so cold that it was like a sheet of snow just slapped him in the forehead.

He exhaled, removing his hand from her shoulder and running it through his tasseled hair. "I asked how Scott was doing." He kept his voice soft, knowing he was treading on thin ice already.

Kim turned back around to her son, it pained her to see the IV located in the nook of the inside of his elbow.

"He's d-doing fine. Doctor Krupnick said he would make a full recovery."

Scott's doctor was a nice redheaded man around the same age as Kim with a happy attitude and no-nonsense mind. Jack nodded, clearing his throat. "Um yeah. He seemed pretty nice when I heard him talking to you guys."

In other words, Kim hadn't let him enter the room on his own free will. Jack and Haley hung out in the food court until Kim had dosed off holding Scott and then Jack sneaked in and put Haley to bed as well.

"Jack why are you here? Why don't you just go back home and down a fifteen-pack of Miller Light?"

Jack shook his head, "I thought you knew that I changed Kimmy? I told you so many times. Scott is my son. Your my wif—"

"Don't you _dare _finish that sentence Jack. I am not connected to you in anyway."

Why did it hurt her to say these things out loud? She was fueled by malice, but there was still love in there too.

"Kimmy please."

Silence pursed his words and it was so deafening that Jack swore you would be able to hear a pin drop from afar.

The next thing Jack knew, Kim had turned and grabbed the bag of clothes by the door, digging through it for something wear. Before Jack could say anymore she turned her front away from him and quickly stripped; throwing on a new shirt and pair of pants. Jack kept his eyes to the floor, wanting to keep modest for Kim. She threw her dirty clothes into a spare pocket in the duffel bag, turning back around and taking her seat next to Scott again.

Jack wasn't sure what to think by Kim's behavior; she seemed to be jumping off the walls.

"Kimmy, what's the matter? Why did you just strip like that? That isn't you."

She scoffed, "You know Jack that used to be me a long time ago. Remember? I used to feel confident every time I would do that for you."

Foggy visons of such times crossed Jack's mind but he pushed them away, knowing nothing good would come of it if he remembered those times so fully. "Kim."

She was quiet for a minute. "I'm just a shell of that woman now Jack. I'm too broken to be fixed."

"Hello Miss Crawford, how is our little guy doing today?"

As if on a timer, Doctor Milton Krupnick walked in and then abruptly froze when he felt the tense atmosphere of the room. Kim turned her head at his entrance, Jack looking from her to the doctor. Doctor Krupnick laughed nervously under Jack's glare. "U-Uh am I interrupting something? I can return later if you'd like?"

Jack took a step forward, "If you could return—"

Kim stood up, effectively cutting Jack off. "Now is perfect Doctor. And I think Scott is doing okay, he slept through the night like you promised he would." Jack grumbled to himself, taking a seat in the pulled out plastic chair Kim used to be sitting in.

Doctor Krupnick gave Kim a collected smile. "That's great news Miss—"

"You can call me Kim."

Doctor Krupnick sent her a flustered smile, "Kim. That's great news. That means his body is busy fighting off the bad things in there. Let me check his vitals real fast." Doctor Krupnick moved over to the machine reading his heartrate, grinning when he got the results back. Jack looked towards the two with a pissed off look, not liking how Kim was acting around the guy.

Suddenly, Scott's eyes fluttered open and Kim moved over to sit on the hospital bed next to him. She wrapped a gentle arm around his shoulder, careful to mind the bandage.

"Hey honey. How'd you sleep? Okay?"

Scott nodded, yawning. "I had another dream about Grey Hounds Mommy."

Kim felt her heart clench, her mind shooting back to that fateful night with Jack when everything was at least semi-normal. Jack avoided looking at her as he remembered the same thing, diverting his attention to the ground. "Grey Hounds huh? That's awesome buddy." Jack answered, considering that Kim was too in shock to react. Scott looked over at his father, just realizing he was in the room.

He had missed him.

"Daddy . . . you're here?"

Jack grew puzzled but hid his perplexity, instead sitting up and grabbing Scott's hand. "Of course I'm here bud."

"Mommy said you left for a little while—"

Jack sent Kim a look while the latter just started to stroke Scott's hair, guilt engulfing her. Jack rubbed Scott's hand. "Haley and I went down to the food court to get something to eat. But trust me, you didn't miss out on anything. The cheesesteaks sucked ass." Jack lowered his voice down to a whisper but Kim heard him anyway and rolled her eyes.

Scott giggled and Doctor Krupnick grinned at the father-son bonding happening in front of him.

"The reason the cheesesteaks taste so bad is that the molecules inside break due to improper manhandling of the cells therefore causing the steak to taste worse than it actually is. If you were to freeze it correctly and take care of the meat than the favor would be amazingly better." The doctor was meant by three dumbstruck looks staring back at him and his cheeks heated up in a blush. "S-Sorry I wanted to be a science professor my whole life and then I got laid off. I went back to school to become a doctor and here I am. All that old science stuff still lingers with me though."

Kim sent him a calm smile, "I think it's cool you still remember all of that stuff."

Jack held up a hand, "I'm not gonna get food poisoning from the food right?"

Doctor Krupnick shook his head, "No, we wouldn't have enough seats to take care of all of the sick people if that was true."

Jack shook his head, looking back at Haley curled up in the chair still dead asleep. "Great . . . "

Doctor Krupnick clapped his hand together. "Alright Scott my boy, any pain?"

"No."

"Headaches? Tummy hurt?" Scott shook his head which caused the doctor to look at Kim. "It seems as if everything is going great. The best thing Scott can do right now is rest and allow his immune system to get better and send red blood cells to his shoulder to allow proper blood flow. I'm going to add some painkillers into his IV tube. Most likely they will put him back to asleep which is what we want."

"Thank you doctor."

Doctor Krupnick sent her a beam, "You can call me Milton if you would like."

Kim nodded and stood up to shake his hand, Scott dozing off. Jack stood up as well when Doctor Krupnick turned to face him. "It was nice meeting you . . . "

"Jack."

" . . . Jack. Scott will be perfectly fine I can assure you." Jack shook his hand, being sure to hold the doctor's hand in an extremely tight grip to get his point across of 'back off on Kim'.

"You as well Milton. Thank you." Jack grit out his answer through clenched teeth. The doctor seemed to shrink under Jack's gaze and scampered out of the room faster than Kim could speak her apologies. She sent Jack a death glare which he returned. "Why are you flirting with him?"

Kim looked over at Jack, flabbergasted. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"That Krupnick guy. You were all over him and don't even damn well deny it."

Kim grew furious, pressing a kiss to Scott's forehead before grabbing Jack by the elbow and leading him out of the room. She left the door ajar behind them incase Haley woke up or Scott needed anything but Jack blocked any entrance to the room with his body.

"First of all Jack, stop shooting _shit_ out of your mouth. Learn some facts before you go off on people. I talked to him last night as he was taking Scott's vitals and you were nowhere to be seen. He's married to this woman named Julie with three kids. He said he couldn't _wait_ to be off his evening shift to go home and see his family—considering it was his wedding anniversary. There's a 24k gold carrot damn wedding ring on his ring finger!" She keep her voice low but the venom in her words was enough to get her point across.

Jack sent her a disbelieving look, "Maybe I wasn't there because you wouldn't let me in the damn room Kim! Last time_ I_ checked you didn't _allow _Haley and me from going in there. Haley had to fall asleep with her head on my lap as we were draped over uncomfortable ass chairs."

"Well maybe if you—"

"Excuse me, is there a Jackson Brewer here?"

An older man in his fifties came up next to the two with a younger man in his thirties with black, slicked back hair next to him. Jack turned away from Kim and crossed his arms, showing the muscles there. Kim scoffed quietly at her ex-husband's old habit as he used to do that all of the time to ward off unwanted people by attempting to 'scare' them with his beefy figure.

"That would be me. What can I do for you?" Jack kept his voice deep and unwavering, while he was racking through his mind to see if he recognized their faces.

The older man observed Jack, who was clad in a dark pink sleeve-less Nike shirt and blue ripped jeans, and then looked over at Kim. She looked worn, extremely tired and done with the actions of Jack. One of Jack's old band tee-shirts was over his her torso, a Simple Plan concert anniversary one, with some Nike sweatpants.

The man finally looked over to his younger partner for this certain case before holding up a badge.

He spoke in a raspy voice, as if that last cig he smoked was too much for his old body and bones. "I'm Gwen Owens with Child Services and this is Jerry Martinez the Second from the Seaford FBI Unit Section. We got a report from a woman about her child being abducted by you unfairly about five years ago. She didn't know what to do for all of these years and couldn't get the help she wanted until now."

Jack felt like his entire world was closing in around him.

She wanted Haley back?

Jack had thought the papers were filed years ago about him gaining full custody.

The only thing Jack was sure of right now was that Martinez the Second was a much respected man in the Seaford Police Force. His father was a great man and served for many years before a murder's crazed obsession ending up exploding in Jerry Martinez the First's face. A simple bullet to the heart and he was dead. So his son went up through the ranks to try and one day avenge his father. Jack had never personally met the man but he had always wanted to when he was in service.

Now, he just wanted to run and hide.

Jerry was an inch shorter than Jack in height but just as broad-shouldered. He had curly black hair that was slicked back to promote his cleanly shaven face so everyone knew who he was. Jack wasn't sure if there was a Spanish accent in his voice considering he hadn't talked yet, but you could easily tell of his origins. He had on a black muscle tight tee-shirt with an FBI labeled bulletproof sleeve-less vest overtop his shirt. There was a gun holster on his side with his FBI badge resting next to it and then some handcuffs towards his back.

His left hand was hovering over his gun, while his eyes didn't leave Jack's—watching for any sudden movements.

Jack struggled to speak and Kim placed a hand on his bicep, "Jack, what are they talking about?"

"I-I don't know! The p-papers were signed over to me when Haley was born! April, that bitch said she didn't want anything to do with her! Haley is in my full custody!"

Gwen held up a hand. Grey hairs were laced throughout his bleached blonde hair, wrinkles present on his face. He was taller than Jack but Jack knew he was younger and stronger. "Mister Brewer," Jack looked at Gwen, a fire in his eyes; "I'm going to need to take Haley. Is she here?"

"You aren't getting my daughter." Jack moved so the door to enter Scott's hospital room was ultimately blocked.

Jerry moved forwards, looking directly at Jack. "Sir, you need to move out of the way."

"You aren't going to get anywhere near my damn daughter."

Jerry's grip tightened on his gun holster. Kim moved forwards, grabbing Jack's calloused hand. "Jack just let them do it and then we can go right up to Child Services and get her back—it will take less than an hour Jack."

"Sir, now."

Kim tugged on his hand. "Jack don't do anything stupid."

Jerry started to pull at the latch, "Yo . . . man listen. If you don't move I'm am going to have to take that as disobeying a police officer which is another form of assault. I don't want to do that dude. Now come on, I'm trying to help you out. I know you used to be on the force; my dad always talked about you." Jerry kept his voice low and commanding, showing he wasn't just bluffing.

Jack looked at him; knowing exactly what he was going to do.

"You can kiss my ass you son of a bitch. You aren't getting my daughter!"

Kim was pushed out of the way by Gwen who snuck into the room as Jerry went after Jack. Kim went after Jack, trying to grab him before he did anything too stupid. Jerry shoved Jack to the ground, Jack's head hitting the titled floor of the hallway too hard.

His vision started to go black and he could hear Haley and Kim in the distance but could do nothing to stop it as everything went dark and Haley's final words echoed in his ears.

"Get off me! You aren't my superhero! Daddy!"

* * *

"Brewer!" Jack didn't look up, instead keeping his eyesight on his bloodied hands. "Brewer you made bail. Now get the hell out of my cell."

He finally looked up, seeing Officer Joy Han with an irritated look on his face. Han was from Chinese descent, a short little skinny guy who was known by his killer karate skills. Black hair in a buzz cut covered his head and the only thing signaling that he was a cop besides his bland look was the Police Logo over his heart.

Jack used to know Han, they actually used to be on the same training team back when they were still learning the ways of how to be cop. Jack stood up slowly, cracking his knuckles and holding in the wince when one of his cuts stung from the movement.

Han was holding the holding cell open for Jack, who cracked a smile as he passed him. "It was nice seeing you again J."

Han rolled his eyes, "Come back so that I can get a real job again will you? They threw me on druggie duty as soon as you left. Apparently my 'outbursts' are hard to control when you don't know me." Jack laughed, patting Han on the shoulder.

"Good luck J. I'll be in touch if I need you again."

Han nodded as Jack walked out of the room, seeing Kim waiting for him.

His heart suddenly felt heavy as he got closer to her, Kim seeing the glassy look of his eyes before Jack even knew tears were coming out. Kim shushed him and gently grabbed his arm, leading him out of the Police Station and into the alleyway next to it. He was heaving big breaths, trying to hold it together. "Jack, Jack it's going to be okay. We will go up to Child Services and get her back."

He shook his head, Kim's arms locking around his torso. "Kim . . . Haley is all I have left anymore. She is the second most important thing in my life an-and I just can't lose her t-to that b-bitch! Kimmy, I can't."

Kim can't stay mad at him, it's too heartbreaking to watch him. She simply pulls him into her arms; allowing him to sob. "We will get her back Jack. I promise." He nods, willing to believe her just for this moment. "But I have a question . . . what's your number one most important thing in the world?"

He chuckles bitterly, "You."

Kim doesn't know what else to say so she humbly lets him cry.

* * *

"I'll be right back, I'm just going to go and get some food for us alright? Do you want anything?"

Jack shakes his head and she leaves her hand on his shoulder for a moment more before she walks out of the room; leaving Scott and Jack alone.

Jack grabs Scott's hands, "Hey bud. How you feeling?"

Scott is still in a deep sleep from the drugs, but Jack acts as if he can hear him.

"I'm sorry about everything bud. The accident, leaving you guys . . . dropping you when you were little. Thank God I caught you but it still bothers me, it always has actually. Kimmy said it was fine but it always plagued me buddy."

He sighed, rubbing circles on Scott's limp hands.

"But we had you. I was so damn happy we got you and you were healthy and everything else and that your momma didn't die like the doctors said she would. I knew when the doctors told us about the family condition that we wouldn't be able to have any other kids after you but I was okay with that because I had the two people I loved beside me; Kimmy and you. I was okay with that because I loved Kim. I loved you. But then something happened, I don't know what, and I got terrified of having to become a father. Having to get some responsibility. I know it was pathetic; to be scared of such a stupid thing. But . . . I don't know. It felt like my teenage years were stripped from me because of my father. I didn't want to go through life without having some time to party. Looking back on it I know it was stupid and your momma was right because it was. Everyone grows up."

He starts to play with Scott's fingers, a tear slipping down his cheek.

"I'm sorry for leaving you on your own all of these years Scott. You did nothing to deserve it. I'm sorry for all of the harsh words I spoke and for leaving it all up to your mommy. I don't know if you will ever understand how truly sorry I am for all of it. Now Haley is gone and it's like leaving you all over again—that unfixable pain that haunts you . . . you know? I'm supposed to be your superhero but I feel like all I have been is the villain."

A song comes to mind from his teenage years, one he used to listen to all of the time. One that gave him something remotely close to hope.

"I used to uh . . . um . . . there was this song I used to listen to all of the time buddy . . . one by Eminem. Mockingbird. And in that song he talks about just wanting the best for his kids and wanting to give them some type of hope to always have; to grow up different than he did—better than he did. I want to be like that. I want to give you and Haley everything because I'm sorry for not being a father for most of my life. I want to fix it." Jack lets go of Scott's hand to rub his eyes, reaching into his shirt to grab his necklace and pull it over his head.

He stares at the ring for a moment, chuckling soberly.

"I fucking love you guys, if I like it or not." He slowly sticks the ring on his left ring finger, moving and hold Scott's hand tightly once again. "I'm gonna make sure you get your mockingbird because I'm your superhero."

Jack doesn't see it but it's there, barely noticeable through Jack's tears.

The tiniest of smiles is on Scott's face, his dream wonderland filled with vague apparitions of a younger Daddy and happy Mommy.


	13. When I'm Gone

**~Author's Note~  
Hey guys, bit of writer's block (of course) with these final chapters here but I made it through! Only two left I believe, we are almost there. :) But do not fear, I actually have a new Kickin' It story idea in mind and I wrote few paragraphs already. It will deal with a very serious thing that could happen to anyone now a days and I want my writing to say something yet still be a story so we will see where that idea goes; I'll keep you guys updated! **

**It is currently 1:05 at night (or in the morning? I really don't know what to call it I'm so tired) and I forgot what else I wanted to say because of that but I do know that I want to say a HUGE thank you to the reviewers. The guest reviews are outstanding, and so are every single one I get. So thank you guys. :D**

**Read, enjoy and review as always!**

* * *

**13**

_Everything I am_

_And everything in me_

_Wants to be the one_

_You wanted me to be_

_I'll never let you down_

_Even if I could_

_I'd give up everything_

_If only for your good_

_So hold me when I'm here_

_Right me when I'm wrong_

_You can hold me when I'm scared_

_You won't always be there_

_So love me when I'm gone_

**~When I'm Gone by 3 Doors Down~**

One Week Later

Jack is a compete mess.

He can't follow any conversations Kim tries to have with him, when Scott tries to vouch some of his attention Jack tends to get lost in hazy trains of thought, and every day at three o'clock in the afternoon he has Kim call up to Child Services to try and straighten the whole fiasco out. Jack would call himself but he knows that he would probably end up in a screaming fit on the phone and he figures that's not the best way to get Haley back; so he allows Kim to call with a steady mind and friendly voice.

For the entire week they sit in wait, as Child Services is too swamped to properly look up the records they have on Haley Clark. One of the days Kim called and the guy she talked to sounded young and new to the job—he claimed they didn't even have a Haley Clark under their care. Jack was irate and it took Kim the entire day just to calm him down.

But beyond that, it seemed like the fight to get Haley back was a repeating tunnel with no light at the end; hopeless. A week had passed and it was now late in the week, a Friday. The clock was lingering at 2:58 in the afternoon and Jack was getting jumpy, his mind was jumbled and uncontrolled.

Scott was released from the hospital the day before, his shoulder injury progressed better than the doctors thought it would. He would be back to normal in no time but for now he just had to wear a bulky cast until the shoulder was strong enough to hold it's own. Jack got his stiches out that morning, the three having to get up at the crack of dawn to make it to his appointment in time. As per usual, some gauze was the only thing left over Jack's pulled skin—they said it would always looked yanked and discolored from now on but it shouldn't cause him any other type of pain.

It had been an uneventful day besides that and Kim was busy making Scott a ham sandwich when the clock struck three and Jack nearly jumped out of his chair to grab his cellphone and hand it to Kim. She wanted to roll her eyes at his behavior but it was understandable, she honestly didn't even know how he was managing without Haley as well as he was.

She wouldn't be able to function if Scott was taken away from her.

Kim walked over and handed Scott his sandwich, now cut into two slices, and then turning to Jack and taking the phone from his hands. She pressed a kiss to Scott's forehead before Jack and her headed back out into the main living room, taking a seat next to each other on the couch.

Kim dialed the number and pressed the phone to her ear, taking Jack's hand with her open one. He holds onto her hand tightly like as if she's his secret lifeline. "Hello this is Child Protective Services of Seaford County, Lorie speaking. How may I be of assistance?"

Kim mentally thanked the people above when the kind voice of an older woman answered; they always seemed to have a better time understanding things than the clueless guys did. "Hi Lorie, I'm Kim Crawford and I need some information on one of the kids you picked up about a week ago?"

She could hear Lorie typing something on the computer in front of her, probably documenting the call and Kim's name, before answering. "Sure thing Miss Crawford. Is this your child or?"

Jack listens intently from his seat next to Kim, in between the real world and his screwed up mind. If he was a better father for most of Haley's life; would this still of happened? Would he still have lost her or would this just be some twisted nightmare?

"No, no. My ex-husband, Jack Brewer, he got his daughter taken away from him a week ago and we have just had so much trouble trying to get her back. It's tearing us apart, I miss her and Jack can't even think straight. We really just want her back, I think it's ludicrous that no one has been able to help us." A bit of her southern accent peaked through towards the end from anger and Jack was too zooned out to notice.

Kim hoped Lorie would take misfortune on them and help them out better than any of the other people Kim talked to did. "That sounds like an awful lot of tangled webs and trouble, I'm truly sorry about all of that and how no one has been able to help you guys out. I'm going to try my best."

"Thank you so much."

A smile spread across Kim's face. Finally.

"So for security precaution I need you to state the full name, birthplace and state ID number of your daughter." Her heart glowed at the mention of Haley being her daughter, it was weird but . . . normal.

"Um yeah, can you just give me one moment please?"

"Sure thing."

"Thanks." Kim moved the phone away from her mouth, tapping Jack softly on the shoulder. "Jack?" He looked up from staring down at his hands and Kim was heartbroken with the look on his features; one that resembled that of a lost puppy dog. "Honey, I need Haley's state ID. The woman on the phone, she really wants to help us—"

Was it wrong that Kim felt shameful that she didn't know Haley's state ID for Lorie?

"2221047." He didn't wait in responding, but didn't look hopeful either; it was like he was a physical robot. Kim rubbed his shoulder and pressed a kiss to his cheek before going back to the phone, her heartbeat raising and lowering all at the same time.

She just kissed his cheek. He just lost Haley. Was there a positive?

"I'm sorry about that Lorie. But the full name is Haley Maddison Clark, born in Grandmaster Hospital—the one right off the strip club by the mall center with the highway and her ID is 2221047." Lorie laughed at Kim's mention of the strip club by the hospital, and Kim flushed. She didn't mean for that to all come out together, it was just how she remembered the information Jack had told her about Haley's birthplace. That's how he said it to her and that's how Kim kept it in mind.

Lorie typed some things on the computer and sighed quietly once the facts came up in the system. "Alright Miss Crawford. This is a lot of info, are you ready?"

Kim searched for Jack's hand and held tight once she found it, resting her head on his shoulder. He unintentionally slung an arm around her body to pull her closer. "I'm ready." It surprised Kim on how hard it was to keep her voice steady. It felt like her heart was constricted and her veins were about to burst and she herself was about to explode like the Death Star in Star Wars.

Was this how Jack felt?

"Haley Clark was taken from Jack Brewer one week ago on charges of kidnapping and unlawful parenting. The charges were investigated by Haley's birth mother, April Clark, who found that the person who lawed Jack Brewer as the official parent was also caught a few months ago of side bribes from many different people and she stated in an official report that she believes Jack also gave this man, Franklin Kidd, illegal bribes to ensure that he would win the custody case. As some side notes state, the letter to Mister Brewer has been mailed out today, April Clark and her lawyers will be seeing Jack Brewer in one month from now in the official case on custody of Haley. As we wait for the lawsuit to commence, Haley will have to stay in a foster home until the parents settle the case and the charges on Jack Brewer answered. Neither parent will be able to visit Haley in her foster home as the location she will be at will be undisclosed to anyone in the state besides the state itself."

Lorie took a heavy breath after finishing, Kim too in awe to find the words to speak.

She moved out of Jack's hold, standing up and starting to pace around the room. Jack was still too lost in his own world to notice Kim's speechless form and tensed features. Kim was partially glad he was like that, she didn't want him to freak out and give poor old Lorie a heart attack. "That's . . . oh my God." It hurt her to physically speak, the words were like poison in her mouth.

Lorie felt horrible, this was the part of her job that she hated. "I'm sorry Miss Crawford. I really wish there was something more for me to do."

Kim nodded to herself, glancing at Jack who finally looked up at her. The look in his eyes was too much for her to handle and she turned away to face the window.

"No . . . no thank you for finding out about all of that; I'm glad someone was finally able to help us out."

"That's good, any other questions Miss Crawford?"

Kim exhaled slowly, "Nothing else. Thank you so much for your help Lorie, have a great rest of the day."

"You as well."

The call ended, Kim removing the cellphone from her ear and placing it on the coffee table in front of them. Scott hobbled in from the kitchen, grinning. "Momma! I finished my snack!"

"That's awesome sweetheart. Why don't you go watch TV in Jack's bedroom while we talk out here for a moment?" Scott nodded eagerly, running towards Jack's room. "Don't run!" He slowed down to walking as he reached Jack's bed, Kim rolling her eyes.

He listened _so_ well.

"Did you find out anything Kimmy?" Jack's voice broke her out of her trace and she ran a hand through her hair.

"Well . . . um . . . April found out that the man who helped you with the custody case—Franklin Kidd—he was found doing illegal bribes on the side of his job and April is taking you to court with that, claiming you had an unfair advantage with the case. Haley was taken away on charges of kidnapping and unlawful parenting and she will stay in an unknown foster home until the lawsuit commences . . ."

Jack's face didn't change. "Lawsuit?" His tone was low and deadly; one like a snake.

Kim withered under his gaze, "The official lawsuit for custody over Haley between you and April that is happening in one month."

She expected him to scream. To throw a few things. To flip the fuck out.

But he didn't do any of that. Instead, he pushed past Kim and pick the cellphone up off the table; quickly dialing a number and sticking it to his ear. Kim was worried, she didn't know what he would do. "Jack what are you doing? Jack?" He ignored her and her stomach dropped when she heard the click of someone answering the phone.

"Hello this is the Kidd Law Firm, my name is Chow how may I help you?" A younger girl's voice answered, a think Chinese accent coated her words.

"Hi is Frank in?"

"Yes, but he's on his lunch break so can I take a message or—"

"Tell him Jack Brewer needs to speak with him right now and it's urgent."

"Sir I don't think—"

"Now." Jack's tone of voice even scared Kim so she was surprised the girl named Chow didn't faint on the spot. She was just glad she could hear all of the words exchanged between the two.

"I'll get him right now sir." Chow answered and Jack was put on hold for a minute.

Kim moved in front of him, placing a hand on his bicep, "What in the hell are you doing?"

He shrugged, "Fixing things."

"Jack you are acting why too calm about this so I don't think—"

"Franklin Kidd at your service, what's this 'so important call' here about Jackie?"

Kim gulped and reached for the phone but it was too late. "First off, old pal, my name isn't Jackie it's Jack. Get it right. Second, what in the hell are you? A fucking player?"

"You don't have any rights in telling me what I am—" He sounded confused and fought back anyway but Jack cut him off with a powerful voice.

"You are a fucking goddamn right cheat and liar by bribing people and putting my goddamn life in jeopardy! My _daughter_ was taken away from me at your expense because you are a rightful bastard and I hope you rot in hell!"

"What in the _fuck_ are you talking about Jackie? I haven't been caught red-handed doing shit!"

Jack and Franklin were friends from high school, they lost contact because Jack got caught up with his father and Kim. He found Franklin to help him out with Haley, to actually try to not get custody of Haley but it worked the other way around. Jack and Franklin left on okay terms but this was certainly going to make it go down the drain. "Yes you damn well have! I'm getting thrown into a lawsuit over Haley, a lawsuit that is going to cost me time and money for shit. I gained custody on her! I won the case even when I didn't want to! Now I'm about to lose everything!"

Kim was glad the TV in Jack's room was loud enough for her to hear the Dragon Tales theme song; meaning Scott couldn't hear Jack's rage. She placed both of her hands on Jack's arms, rubbing up and down to try and act as a calming motion. He avoided her eyes.

"Jackie I'm sorry man but I can't help—"

"Yeah, of course you can't. Because no one fucking can."

He closed the phone and threw it with a loud yell, Kim flinching as the cell hit the wall. Everything was silent, the only noise that could be heard was Scott singing loudly along to the theme song and clapping his hands together. Jack facing away from Kim, staring at the spot on the wall where the cellphone had hit it; his eyes pooling with tears.

Kim cautiously approached him from behind, gently slipping her hand through his and interweaving their fingers. "Jack?" She heard him sniffle, and his other hand rubbed at his eyes. "Jack honey . . . it's okay." He let go of her hand and turned around, looking at her dead in the eyes.

His were bloodshot and tears were trailing down his cheeks while Kim's were clouding up with anguish from what he had to go through.

Did he deserve this in a way for leaving her? Part of her still didn't know. She was only sure of one thing; she wanted to help him. Why throw him through more pain?

"I-I can't take it Kimmy. I don't know how much more I can take." His voice is quiet, and he closes his eyes for a moment before opening them again to see Kim closer to him.

"I know Jack, I know."

"It hurts_ so _much. It feels like a part of me has just disappeared. Like a part of me was just ripped apart."

He let out a hushed sob and Kim closed the gap between them, tugging him into a hug. He wrapped his arms low around her waist, Kim snaking hers around his back. She buried her face into his chest and he rested his head on her shoulder, his tears soaking her shirt. Kim just sat there and comforted him, knowing it was the best thing she could do for someone she might've still loved.

They stayed like that for a while, and for some odd reason Jack didn't want to let go and Kim's mind drifted to Reese and about how she never forgot about his warmth.

* * *

Scott was asleep between Jack and Kim in Jack's bedroom, the moon was raised high above in the sky. Kim looked over at Jack, who had an arm wrapped behind Scott and her, to see he was still awake and lost in deep thought. Light from the TV were shadowing his face, making him look different in the low light. "Honey?"

Jack turned his head, "What's the matter babe?"

Both of them had quiet voices to avoid waking Scott. Kim tried her best to ignore the feeling that came with Jack's words, instead focusing on what she wanted to ask him.

"How are you feeling?"

He shook his head, "The same as earlier." He paused after thinking of something, his mind starting to race.

"Jack?" He started to get out bed, slowly as not to wake up Scott. Kim glanced at the clock under the TV, it was around eleven at night. There was no possible place he could go at such an hour.

"I gotta go someplace."

"Jack no place is open at such a time like this,"

He nodded, "I know Kimmy, I know. I promise I'll be back by twelve."

Kim chuckled, "I think that's past your bedtime."

He walked over to her side of the bed and placed a kiss on her forehead, leaning in close to her ear, "Nothing is past my bedtime Kimmy, and you know that." She shoved him away, the two of them laughing quietly as he walked out the door.

It took him twenty minutes to get where he wanted to go and then another five to gain the will power to go up to the door and knock. She answered the door within moments of him knocking, her face twisting into one of pure amusement once she saw Jack was standing there. "Well look what the cat dragged in."

Jack breathed out through his nose, knowing it was best to at least try to keep his rage controlled. "Why are you doing this shit April?"

She looked the exact same as she did all those years ago, though now her hair was a pure shade of nasty black. Jack thought it fit her horrible attitude so it was good enough. Her hips were a little bolder too and some more curves decorated her stomach and upper back. "I'm doing this shit because I want my fairytale ending. I've had a lot of time to think lately and I believe I got the hell side of the stick."

Jack scoffed, shaking his head in disgust. "You got that side of things because you wanted it. You left me and Haley to get by—by ourselves. I turned into a horrible ass person because of you."

She rolled her eyes, "Save me the pity Jack. All I want is for you to pay for what you did to me."

Jack grew puzzled, "What I did to you?"

"I gave you my heart and you went and crushed it into little tiny pieces because you were too scared to live. Then I didn't take the pills and give you another chance at family and you still didn't want it. You gave up, like the bastard you are."

Jack took a threatening step forwards, "You tried to thrust me into something I didn't want! I didn't want any more kids, I didn't want a wife and I sure as hell didn't want a family! All I wanted was you as a friend and you are the one who went and ruined that!"

"You are the one who freaking took away my virginity and then said 'oops sorry I just needed a one night stand to screw up my feelings some more'!"

He was getting more infuriated as the moments passed, it was hard to keep it under control. He took April by the shoulders, shaking her. "Will you just stop being a selfish bitch for one goddamned minute and think with your brain and not your ass? My daughter, our daughter—is out there in some nasty foster home for one month all by herself without anyone to protect her! And your ass is sitting her trying to get me to flip shit so you can call the cops on me! I used to be one, I know what I'm allowed to do and not to do! Stop thinking like a spoiled teenager and think like a damn mother for once!"

Jack let go of April's shoulders, breathing heavily.

April looked at him, a sinful glint deep in her irises.

"Well think of it as payback Jack. You were nowhere to be found when I needed to be protected. Where in the hell were you when I needed you?" She took a sudden step backwards and slammed the door in his face, Jack shouting out in objection and banging on the screen door so hard he was surprised it didn't break under his strength.

"Maybe that's because I didn't want to!" He screamed, angry tears running down his face. He just wanted Haley back. "Maybe it's because I had other things to take care! Other things I cared about like Haley and—"

"And your precious Kimmy! I fucking know already Jack. I can see you still love her from a damn mile away! Get the fuck off my property before I call the cops Jack. Now." Jack went noiseless after her words, his mind a forest of a million things.

He fell to the ground like as if he had been stabbed in the back as soon as the comprehension hit him directly—the one thing he could finally figure out. "I-I love Kim. I fucking love Kim. I love her more than the fucking world itself. Holy shit."

* * *

"Hey, hey it's okay. Everything is alright. Do you think you can come out of the closet now sweetheart? I promise I won't let any of the kids hurt you okay?"

Haley shook her head, burring her body deeper into the brooms and buckets around her. All she wanted was to go home. She just wanted to go home with mommy and daddy and Scotty. She didn't want to be here. She didn't want to. The short man exhaled softly when Haley didn't come towards him and instead started to squeeze himself into the small closet with her.

The young girl watched through half closed eyes as the man struggled with fitting, his butt actually getting stuck between a hand brush and large pan. With a final grunt he made it over next to Haley, leaving a small distance between him and her so he wouldn't spook her. He had been working with kids for years, he knew all of the different things to do and not to do.

He ran a hand through his golden hair and fixed his blue tee shirt; glancing down to make sure his skinny jeans didn't stretch. He knew they would take hours to get off but hey, what could he say? He felt like looking flashy today. Maybe Jerry could help him get out of the jeans after he got off work.

Speaking of Jerry, the small girl in front of him was only here because of Jerry. He had asked the older man for a favor, saying that Haley had been through a lot and how Jerry didn't her to be ruined more by the crazy system. The older man, more than happy, obliged and now Haley was under his sole care for a whole month. He just hoped the girl warmed up to him sooner or later.

He cleared his throat before speaking, "Those other kids are just big bullies. They have been here for a while so they think they are in charge. But the only person in charge is me and I say they won't do anything else to you Hal, alright?"

He had about five other kids under his and his wife's care—four older boys and one other girl—he knew all about how the boys liked to act with someone new arriving. He already told his wife, formally the school teacher Miss Applebalm, that they were not to get desert tonight.

"O-Okay R-Rudy. Thank you sir."

Rudy shook his head, "No need for the 'sir' there Hal. We are all friends here."

The nickname just came to him as he was reading her report on why she was in the system in the first place. His wife and him used to have a daughter named Alexa Haley but then she passed from cancer when she was five. Maybe that's where the nickname came from. In truth he didn't know but Haley didn't seem to mind so that was okay. "Rudy?"

He turned his attention to the girl in front of him, noticing how she was edging closer to his body.

"Yes sweetheart?" She seemed scared of asking what she was about to say but she said it anyway.

"Will you protect me until my daddy comes back and saves me?" Rudy chuckled and Haley curled into his side, Rudy pulled her into a warm hug.

"Of course Hal. I'll still protect you even when he does come back."

Haley smiled and gripped the front of Rudy's shirt tightly, some wetness appearing on her cheeks. "Are you my superhero too?" Rudy stroked her hair, a method he learned worked well with soothing young kids as he used to use it on Alexa all of the time.

"I'm just the sidekick until the superhero comes back along sweetheart. Your daddy is the one who can move mountains and save cities. Sidekicks and superheroes are unstoppable together though." Haley felt a little more at home in Rudy's safe hold, she liked this new sidekick.

She liked the love he brought even if he didn't know her too well.

Haley felt like everything was going to be okay.


	14. Let me Go

**~Author's Note~ (Please read, new story details!)**

**Hey guys! Sorry for the delayed update, this was a sucker chapter to write. I know it's shorter than usual but all of the things I needed to be shown I got in here and plus next chapter is the final chapter so I'll fill in anything else I missed in there. Thank you guys for all of your support. And there is a happy ending to this story, even if the ending of this chapter says otherwise. **

**Now, the main thing I need to talk about in this certain AN, my next story. I've been throwing around many ideas, from a Kickin' It zombie au to a Kickin' It tragedy, but I finally believe I figured out what I'm going to do—even if how unplanned it is might be a shock. But I need you guys in this archive to help. I need to have a pairing for Milton and Jerry in this story and I figure I'm just going to do Milton and Julie (because who doesn't love those two nerds together xD) BUT the main issue is that I'm at a compete lost for who to pair with Jerry! So **_**please**_**, either leave reviews or send me PMs about who your favorite Jerry pairing is (from an OC to Grace or whoever else I'm forgetting). Any help from you guys would really help me! :)**

**Now, the new story . . . well it is actually an unofficial/unplanned/spur-of-the-moment **_**sequel**_** to one of my past Kickin' It Stories. I'm really excited to write it and the idea for it actually came from a new song I found. I don't want to say the song just yet because I'm pretty sure it would give away what past story it is the sequel of. This story will be a muti-chapter one and I guess I can say it will probably be the biggest 'reveal' of this summer. Or the biggest shock. ;) **

**I also have a little challenge for the story and it is that if any of you awesome people can tell me what story is the prequel to this new one—if you guess right and have an account you will get three things; a PM with a short sneak peek, a shout out, and if you would like either I'll write a one shot for you in Relapse, Refill and Recovery or something featured in the new story. If you guess right and don't have an account, I can't do as much but I will give a shout out and the title of the song the story is based off of in the next AN for Night Light. Whoever guesses right gets the things mentioned above, there is no limit! :)**

**The story will be revealed in this story's next update, which I will try to make quicker than this last one. **

**So I think that is all, sorry for the long AN but I just wanted to get all of that out there because I hope you guys will be just as excited this sequel as I am. It's gonna be big and nothing is going to get left out, it will be rated teen for good reason. Huh, that doesn't count as a hint does it? XD**

**Without further wait, I now present Chapter Fourteen to Night Light! Read, enjoy and review! :D**

* * *

**14**

_You love me but you don't know who I am_

_I'm torn between this life I lead and where I stand_

_And you love me but you don't know who I am_

_So let me go_

_Let me go_

**~Let me Go by 3 Doors Down~**

One Month Later

"If you don't stop pacing around I'm going to kill you slowly and painfully."

Jack turned towards Kim at the sound of her voice, giving his ex-wife a sheepish smile. Kim rolled her eyes and looked out the window behind Jack, the sun close to setting in the horizon. It was around five in the evening, and Jack had been running himself ragged in wait for this date—the date of the trial.

Kim's mother had flown back from Maine for a week to visit, Kim filling Jean in and the woman shocked at everything she had missed. To make up for not being there for Kim during her troubling times, she agreed to watch Scott back at her hotel for the full day, so the two could go to the trial without any unneeded distractions nagging at them.

Kim sighed and looked back towards Jack, who had taken one last step towards her to hold her hand to make sure he stayed still. "Thank you."

He smiled softly again, chuckling. "You know I can't help it. It's a nervous habit. Don't you remember our prom?"

Kim grinned when the memory of their disastrous senior prom hit her.

Jack couldn't stand still for anything and halfway through the night Kim couldn't stand it any longer so she turned around and hit him square in the chest; but what she didn't see was the cup of smuggled red wine in his hand. He lost his grip on the cup and that red wine ended up everywhere; all over his handsome black tuxedo and white tie along with Kim's stunning white dress.

While Jack's biggest issue was his now candy cane looking tie, Kim looked as if she had just been to war.

He felt horrible about the incident but Kim didn't, she just made jokes about the entire colorful explosion all night. After prom ended and they headed to Jack's empty parent's house; she told him that if he ever paced around again she would personally kill him . . . but her threat failed once he took her upstairs and kissed her until her mind ran blank.

Kim blushed after a minute, the warmth from Jack's hand was engulfing her body. With a heavy exhale she broke the silence between them. "Yeah," she answered quietly, "I remember prom."

Jack rubbed her palm with his calloused thumb. "It was undoubtedly one of the best nights of my life Kimmy. Even after all we have been through and the pregnancy scare back in school . . . I don't regret one thing. I don't regret you."

She winced at the memory of their pregnancy scare from back in the day, after things happened at prom Kim had gotten sick in the morning about three weeks later. Their minds instantly went to the worst thing that it could've been but it just turned out that she had food poisoning.

"You don't regret anything?" She questioned weakly, wondering where in the hell Jack's lawyer was for the case. Anything to break the thick sexual tension between the two would actually be nice; at least for Kim.

Jack laughs, "Nothing. Out of all the shit I've done, loving you might've been one of the stupidest things I've pursued. But I'm glad I didn't run away because you are too amazing to ever be left behind."

She wanted to point out the years he left her alone and cold; she wanted to point out his horrid fathering skills at first with Haley or the fact that he allowed April to end up fooling him. But she didn't want to kick him when he was down . . . and she didn't want to remember any of that. She just wanted him in that moment, and maybe even his lips hovering over hers.

Rules be damned.

She looks up at his towering form and wishes she hadn't because the emotion in his eyes is pure damn love. "Kim I need to tell you something—"

"Mister Brewer!" A short plump man hurried up behind the two, towing his brown patterned suitcase behind like a cement block. Jack sent Kim one last look before turning around and shaking his lawyer's open, sweaty, hand.

"Hello Mister Dale."

The man shook his head, "No, no need for formality Mister Brewer. I've told you many times to just call me Sid." Sidney Dale might not have looked like it, but he was one of the best lawyers for child cases in Seaford. He was nearly certain to win any case he took on, and his prices were pretty honest for the man being so rich and hostile in the courtroom.

Jack let go of Sid's hand, wiping his hand on the leg of his pants. "Sorry, nerves are eating me alive right now." Sid nodded eagerly, wiping his brow with a rag he pulled out of his suit pocket. Beads of sweat still resided on his retreating blonde hairline.

"There is no need for you to worry Mister Brewer. I have every which way covered, there is not a doubt in my mind that we will win."

Jack sent him a reassuring smile, "Thank you Sid."

"Of course sir. Now I came to find you and tell you that the case starts in five minutes so we should enter the courtroom soon." Jack looked from his lawyer to Kim, then back again.

"Can we meet you in there? I just need to share some words with Kim really fast." Jack muttered hurriedly, Sid understanding completely.

"I'll see you two in there momentarily then." He winked at Jack before walking away, Kim laughing gently.

"Well I can see how much of a charmer you are, got the lawyer falling for you huh?"

Jack went red as a tomato, turning towards Kim and shaking his head madly. "No! That is _not _what he meet with that wink."

Kim crossed her arms, "Oh really? Well then mister-broody-handsome-six-pack-any-guy-would-want-you, what did that wink mean?"

Jack rubbed his face roughly, "It was like an um . . . it was for good luck."

Kim grew interested, "Good luck huh? With what? Keeping those other guys off you?" She cracked up into laughter at her own joke, Jack keeping his face unamused.

"No it was not that."

"Then what?" She challenged, trying her best to cut off her muted chuckles.

Next, without any warning, Jack closed the space between them and pressed his lips to hers. Kim's eyes widened and it took her a second to react before she wrapped her arms around his muscled lower torso. She kissed back and knew she shouldn't have been doing this, kissing him and enjoying it, but she couldn't help it.

It was Jack freaking Brewer for hell's sake.

His kisses always did this to her, render her speechless and unable to think correctly.

Maybe that's how she fell for him the first time, because she couldn't think straight through any of it. He pulled away after running his hands through her hair for the first time in ages without any hate between them; the impact of how long it's been since he was _with_ her like this hitting him full force. He missed her and he still loved her.

Kim stayed quiet as she looked up at him, hoping he would speak first so she didn't have to. He did, after taking a breath.

"Sid wished me luck with this . . . listen Kim I love you. I always have and I've tried to avoid it but I can't because I love you so damn much it hurts to breathe when I'm not with you. I just can't go on like this, like we are forever friends because it pains me too much to just be friends with you. I have to have you like this so I can get through life because I won't be able to live any other way. I love you."

Kim felt the tears in her eyes as fear closed around her heart because that warm, fuzzy feeling you're supposed to get when someone spills their emotions for you wasn't there. There weren't any butterflies in her stomach. Just numbness. He brings his hands up to cup her face when she doesn't answer and wipes the tears that she didn't even know escaped off her face, kissing her forehead gently and then pulling her in for a tight hug.

"Once we get Haley back everything will be over. Everything will be okay."

Kim was scared that wouldn't end up true.

* * *

"Daddy!"

Haley runs into Jack's open arms at full speed, Jack picking her up with a happy grunt. Her little arms wrap around his body, the young child burying her face into his shoulder. A tearful Rudy and happy Kim watch from the sidelines at the reunion; both can't hear the muttered words of Jack to Haley but have a good enough idea of what he is saying.

Jack doesn't let Haley go as she tells him about how she had the 'best time ever with sidekick Rudy' and even as Haley shows her dad Rudy and the two shake hands; Kim stands off to the side in her own train of thought. She thought she had loved Jack but now everything was so confusing and twisted.

Could life ever give her a break?

Later that night, Haley falls asleep in Jack's arms on the couch as Kim rests her hand on his shoulder next to her. Scott is asleep next to Jack on the other side of him, Kim sighing. "So what are we going to do?" He mutters, Kim looking over at him questioningly.

"About what?"

"The kiss . . . do you still love me Kim?" She snaps her head forwards so he can't see her feelings so clearly, so that she doesn't have to face him when she says the truth.

"Jack, we can't do this."

"Yes we damn well can. What's stopping us? I love you for God's sake. I love you so much." Kim slowly stands up and starts to head to the bedroom, trying her best to ignore Jack's pleas. "Kim look at me. Please. Kim."

She stops walking, "I don't think I love you anymore Jack."

She runs into the bedroom and shuts the door behind her, trying her best to keep her hushed sobs to herself. But unknown to her, Jack's wiping tears off his face in the other room too; wondering if he will ever get the happy ending he wishes for them to have.

The peace Kim so horribly deserves after all she has been through.

Kim awakes at the crack of dawn the next morning curled in a ball on the carpet floor next to the closed door. Someone is knocking at the front door and Kim groggily stands up and quietly opens the door. Jack and the kids are passed out on the couch in the living room and she sneaks past the three; disregarding the dried tear trails on Jack's face as she wipes her eyes to wake herself up more.

She makes it to the front door and opens it slightly, shocked when she sees Reese standing there. He sends her a sleepy smile and her heart actually does melt . . . the first happy shred of emotion she's felt in the past day.

She steps out of the house, softly shutting the door behind her so their conversation doesn't wake up Jack or the kids and Reese takes her hand. "I'm sorry it's so early Kim but I just needed to say this one last time, I'm sorry for everything I've done to you and I don't think I can do anything else in life without knowing I have your forgiveness. I still love you, and for me to either act on that with you or move past it I need forgiveness."

Kim's mouth gapes open and she gasps, shaking her head. "Reese I forgive you but I don't know . . . I don't know about that."

"Do you still love Jack then?" Kim stays silent, not wanting to have to say an answer**. **"Or is it because you don't love either of us?" Reese questions afterwards, Kim shaking her head at the question.

"My kids need someone I can trust." Reese stays quiet for a minute until he takes a step forwards, pulling Kim into his arms.

"Trust needs to be earned Kim." She sighs as she enjoys being in his arms, breathing in his scent—his being.

"Trust always disappears Reese."

He chuckles, rubbing her back. "I still love you baby," His voice is barely above a whisper. "I'll always love you." Kim feels the tears come on as she clutches the back of his shirt.

"I'm so sick of people saying that and then screwing me over." She sobs while all Reese can do is offer her comfort, he knows that and only that.

He kisses her forehead gingerly, "Not anymore baby. No matter what you chose I'm not going to leave you two again. You don't deserve to be broken anymore Kim." Her cries are the only thing in the silence pf the early morning, besides some cars rumbling past and birds chirping. "Too many people have screwed you over baby." He mutters and Kim feels broken once more.

Jack still loves her and Reese still loves her . . . Reese would be a new start which would be better for her and Scott but Jack is Jack.

How could she leave Haley?

Kim closes her eyes and clutches Reese's shirt tighter, focusing on his heartbeat.

Was loving either even worth it anymore?

Was there any damn trust left?


	15. Light On

**~Important Author's Note~  
Hey guys, I know you all hate me for the super delayed update but I've been having a lot of medical issues lately; that have actually been constant since January. In the last weeks of this summer my issues got worse and so I've had no motivation to write because I haven't been able to focus too well. On top of all of that my first day of school was Thursday and then I had to miss my second day of school for a test and I'll actually have to miss a few more for other doctor stuff so I'm pretty stressed. But I was able to grind this final chapter out and you guys with your super kind reviews have been really awesome helpers with that. **

**In turn, because I have so much on my plate all of a sudden, I won't be able to be on here too much because I'm kinda swamped but I always check up on here to read things and check my stories out. I will be posting my new story, the sequel to Broken Cords, sometime this year. I just have no idea when—since I've only been able to sit down and write a paragraph for it so far. (Big shout out to **Aznmissy04** for correctly guessing the story!) In the meantime, feel free to check out any of the stories in my favorites list. I only favorite stories that I believe are very intriguing or just plain amazing and I just re-edited the list a few minutes ago so there are some great reads in there. :)**

**The things I will be currently trying to focus on: One shot for Young Justice (I have a current obsession with Batman and Nightwing right now and that show is pretty cool), one shot for R, R and R and posting the first chapter of Broken Cord's sequel. **

**Anyway, onto this final chapter. Huge, **_**huge **_**thank you to all of the Kickin' It family—you guys are truly amazing in every way. I changed up the lyric for this to use as 'line breaks' per say. The song used though is 'Light On' by David Cook. Now for the ending, I left it how it is on purpose. No I did not forget any names; I purely left it open like that. You'll understand when you guys read but if you guys have any questions feel free to ask me. Thank you one final time for all of the support you guys have given me and for the final time for this story . . . **

**Read. Review. Enjoy. :D**

* * *

**15**

* * *

_Try to leave a light on when I'm gone_

* * *

Kim avoids Jack's gaze the next morning, his eyes sending pained looks to the back of her head. Haley can feel the tension between her father and honorary mother, it's so thick that even a chainsaw wouldn't have been able to cut through it. Kim is currently cooking some scrambled eggs in the kitchen, her back facing the table where Haley sat eating some cut up peach.

The shower is running upstairs and Kim is grateful to not be in the same room as Jack for a few moments, the blonde just wants some time to herself to think about her options and where she can go from there.

"Mommy?"

She jumps at the sudden sound of Haley's voice, turning around and sending the girl a frazzled smile. "What's wrong sweetie?"

Jean was due to be stopping by any minute with Scott and Kim wanted to make sure there was something to eat for everyone. She turned back around as Haley popped another small piece of peach in her mouth, Kim putting some more bread in the toaster and tossing cut breakfast sausage in the microwave above her.

Haley took a sip of her iced cold water and watched Kim's speedy movements as she bustled around the kitchen. "What did Daddy do to make you so upset Kimmy?"

Kim froze in the mist of scraping the eggs off the hot pan to a large buffet plate; her thumb lightly brushing against the pan. She hissed as she quickly put down the pan in the sink, flipping on the sink and switching it to cold. She spit out vulgar words under her breath as she let the cold water soothe her burnt thumb, Haley walking over to Kim's side.

She tugged on the corner of Kim's old tattered Blink 182 t-shirt.

"Are you okay Kimmy?" She glanced down at Haley, sending her a reassuring smile.

"Yes I'm fine honey I just hurt my finger but I'll be fine."

"Okay . . . so did Daddy hurt you and that's why you guys haven't talked to each other?" Kim liked Haley's blunt matter any other time but all she wanted to do was evade her question. But she knew she was cornered. Kim looked back at the sink to turn it off and then turned back to Haley, crouching down and taking her hands in her own.

"Jack and I are just going through a . . . rough spot right now honey. But everything will be fine I promise." Haley smiled and Kim did too, "Okay now give me a hug you little scamp."

Haley giggled and wrapped her arms around the older woman's shoulders, burying her face into Kim's neck. Kim sighed and they pulled away when both heard the water shut off from upstairs. Kim looked back at Haley, "Alright honey, let me get you your plate. Go back to your seat at the table." Haley nodded, running over to the table and taking another sip of her drink.

Kim got out a few plates and heard Jack's feet thumping down the stairs, rolling her eyes at his rushed matter. She used to always yell at him because he was one of those people who always rushed after getting out of the shower, sometimes he barely bothered to dry his hair all the way.

A few days after graduation, Jack had slept over with her mother's permission; but they weren't allowed near each other at night time as Jean's only rule. Jack had gotten in the shower around eleven at night and got out with his hair soaking and a simple towel around his waist. Kim was half asleep as she stumbled to the same bathroom he was in to use the toilet and opened the door; the bright light from the room leaking into the hallway.

She rubbed at her eyes and walked straight into him; her clothes getting completely soaked. After Jack laughed at her and told her it was alright, Kim blushing madly in the process, he grabbed his shirt from the counter and offered it to her. Kim took it gratefully and leaned in for a kiss, the two moving back towards the shower.

That's when Jean walked in.

Needless to say, Jack wasn't allowed over Kim's house anymore because of what Jean assumed had happened and wouldn't listen to any debate from neither teenager. Kim chuckled to herself at the memory.

"Haley do you want sausage with your eggs?"

"No thanks Kimmy." Kim smiled at Haley's manners as she finished up Haley's plate and turned around to bring it to her. She had just placed the plate in front of the young girl when Jack causally walked into the room and came up behind Haley.

"Hey kiddo," He whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead and messing up her hair.

"Hiya Daddy!" She said through a mouthful of eggs, Kim busying herself with fixing plates for herself, Scott and her mother. Jack let go of Haley and walked up behind Kim, wrapping his arms around her torso. Kim could see his reflection in the stove in front of them.

He was shirtless, she didn't know if he did that on purpose or not after last night, with a pair of black shorts on that went down to just below his knees. She could see his grey Calvin Klein boxers sticking out slightly from his low-hanging shorts. Was he trying to make her weak in the knees? He couldn't possibly not be looking how he did on resolution.

"What did you make for me Kimmy?" He questioned lowly, in such a seductive voice that Kim felt her heart flutter.

"Eggs." She answered simply, trying to fight her way out of his hold. He didn't budge and let a sigh escape him.

"I love you so much, why can't you just—"

"Jack I love you too but you left me once. I don't want you to leave me again." It felt weird finally saying what she was thinking, and she shoved his arms off of her in the progress.

His voice went down to a mumble as his arms snaked around her waist instead, "I won't leave again. I'll be right here, every step of the way."

The doorbell rang, effetely cutting Jack off and allowing Kim not to have to answer. "Can you go get the door for me Jack?" He didn't answer, simply moving out of the room and heading to the front door. Kim rubbed her face with her hands, exhaling quickly to collect herself. She heard Jean and Jack exchange an awkward meeting, and Scott's feet running into the room.

"Haley!"

The girl in question jumped out of her chair to give her older 'brother' a hug, then Scott let go of her and turned to his mother. He leaped into Kim's arms, holding tight. "I missed you Mommy." He muttered, Kim chuckling and lifting her boy up.

"Me too sweetheart but we are all here now." He nodded into his mother's shoulder, as Jean walked into the room followed by Jack. Jean sent her daughter a look as Kim blinked the fresh tears out of her eyes.

"Kim I think you have some explaining to do."

Jean was giving her the same look she did all of those years ago, and Kim didn't know if she wanted to laugh or cry.

* * *

_Something I rely on to get home_

* * *

"So you're leaving?"

It's been two weeks since the court case and the morning after, and Kim had just gotten a call about her house being fully repaired, excluding all of the new inside things she would need to buy. She was slowly packing the last of Scott and her things into the car, so that Haley and Scott could have an unrushed goodbye to each other—Kim wasn't sure if she was going to be able to convince herself to ever see Jack again.

Jack stood behind Kim with his arms crossed, leaning on the back bumper of her car. Kim finished putting the final box in the car and closed the door, resting her back against the cool metal.

"The house is fixed. There's no reason to stay here any longer."

Jack shrugged, trying to act nonchalant.

"How about you stay so that we can finally be a family?"

Kim doesn't answer. She doesn't think she will ever be able to.

* * *

_One I can feel at night_

* * *

She's sitting in Reese's lap three weeks later, her body twisted towards him and her hands roaming his bare chest. Their lips are on each other's in a fierce matter, limbs mangled together and heat surrounding the two. Kim's missing her shirt, the woman only clad in a bra and Reese's hands are caressing her bare back roughly.

Kim tries to ignore the burning feeling in her gut, the only feeling at that moment that isn't being caused by the heat around them, the feeling that is telling her how different he is than Jack.

Jack's gentle.

Jack makes sure the moment is all about her. Jack doesn't do anything without asking her first. Jack crosses boundaries only when they agree on something, she pleasures Jack without issue.

Jack loves her.

She loves him. They fit together and they never gave up on each other.

Reese starts to tug at Kim's skinny jeans and her heart stops. Reese is like a stranger to her, because of Jack. Because that's who she needs. She pulls her lips away from his fast, and he opens his eyes.

"No. We can't."

He sighs and simply takes her hand in his, squeezing once; desperately trying to ignore his raging emotions. Kim grabs her clothes off the floor and exits his apartment, crying softly.

* * *

_A naked light, a fire to keep me warm_

* * *

She loves Jack.

Right?

Always.

He loves her.

Right?

But what if he moved on within two months? What if he's with some girl in just this same moment, giving her everything she didn't want? She raises her fist to knock on his door but freezes again, her hand trembling. She turns away from Jack's house, mind over matter.

* * *

_Try to leave a light on when I'm gone_

* * *

Jack misses her.

He misses her warm body against his.

Her smile.

Her dimples.

Her name.

He misses saying her name out loud, the way it sounds on his tongue.

He misses her slim legs.

Her naked body from when they were happily in love.

He misses her unsure emotions but at the same time he misses the spitfire girl she used to be.

He misses the feel of her hands on him.

The feel of her bare back.

He misses saying the words 'I love you'.

Because now all he can do is say those same words to the unadorned wind.

* * *

_Even in the daylight, shine on_

* * *

Haley sits in her room late at night, the house creaking and gasping in the eerie hours. She clutches her blanket tighter, her eyes darting around the room every few seconds. Her brain implants visions of man-eating green monsters coming out of her closet and werewolves scratching at her window.

She wishes Scott was there to protect her.

But then she swears she sees something black move out of the corner of her eye and screams for her dad and as he scrambles in a stumble into her room she still doesn't feel safe; because Scott isn't there.

Neither is Kimmy.

* * *

_And when it's late at night you can look inside_

* * *

Scott doesn't let his mother know how he is feeling. He doesn't want anyone to know and think he's stupid or weak for missing his father and younger sister.

But what he doesn't know is that missing someone is one of the strongest things someone in this world can do.

* * *

_You won't feel so alone_

* * *

Two years have passed.

Kim sits by herself in the room, Scott already in bed. She misses him. It's like she's in a depression without him. She had been pushing Jack away for two years. She hadn't see Haley in a while and it was tearing her apart. Scott was swirling into sometime of childlike depression from not being near his father. Reese and she are best friends still and he stills loves her. Jack does too.

The TV is on, muted and the house is unnervingly silent. It's near elven at night and her chest feels heavy with the emotion of loneliness. The tear come on quick and fast and she starts crying heavily. She hopes Scott can't hear her.

Then there is a knock on the door and then the knob turns and someone walks in.

Maybe it's a serial killer, maybe it's her mother.

She doesn't know and doesn't care as she falls down to the floor and covers her face with her hands. Her heart wrenching sobs echo through the house. Someone bends down next to her and suddenly there is warmth all around her and she knows exactly who it is.

"I need you," She mutters in between her tears and all the man could do was smile. He had been waiting for her to say that forever.

"I know," he answers softly, wrapping his arms tightly around her. She buries her face into his bulky chest and tries to calm her sniffles. He kisses the top of her forehead and can't help but grin because the woman he loves is in his arms in that very moment.

"I-I can smile and pretend that I don't need you but the truth is that I still will. Even through my cracked damn smile." She whispers after a minute and he chuckles.

"I love you." He mumbles and she laughs through her tears.

"I love you too."

They stay locked in a hug, knowing that the minutes would turn into hours and the hours into days.

Knowing that they still loved each other because their love was like a night light.

No matter where they would go, the other would be like a light guiding their way back home.


End file.
